


Seeking revenge while being in love

by SophiaHoppia



Series: Pick me up [6]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Shulk, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Minor Character Death, Domestic, Dunban is still a tease, First Time, High Entia Tomb, I didn't know this was a tag, M/M, Making Out, Nightmares, Prison Island, Reyn does realize it, Secret Relationship, Semi-Public Sex, Shulk has a tiny crush on Alvis; but he doesn't realize it, Shulk's PoV, Sleep Deprivation, Water Sex, alcamoth, more than one smut scene, some of the dialogue is quoted from the game, spoilers until the end of Eryth Sea, there is plot as well, top Reyn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:01:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/pseuds/SophiaHoppia
Summary: Shulk and his companions had reached Eryth Sea. While revenge was still his main goal, the blond was getting distracted by his feelings for Reyn more often than not.Struggling to neglect neither of them, Shulk slowly starts to break under the self-imposed pressure.---This is part of aseries, but every piece can be read as a stand-alone.
Relationships: Reyn/Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Series: Pick me up [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1783021
Comments: 32
Kudos: 52





	1. Beneath the starry sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this fanfiction is fitting for every part of this series, but I couldn't come up with anything else to cover all these chapters. Does any care about titles anyway?
> 
> I haven't finished writing the whole fic yet, but there will be seven or eight chapters. Either way, it's probably gonna be the longest fic in this series.  
> [Here are some screenshots, I've taken around this part of the game. Don't miss them! ](https://twitter.com/SophiaHoppia/status/1286019049269465088)
> 
> \---  
> As you can see, this is part of a series now. You don't have to read the other pieces if you only want to enjoy this one, but if you wanna start at the beginning, check out [Trust me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25576429) first.

Slaying the Telethia in the depths of Makna Forest had been easier than expected. Shulk was grateful that Alvis had shown him this unique Monado technique to annul the Dinobeast's aura, sealing its natural healing ability. Therefore, he wanted to thank Alvis, but he had no idea how to contact him.

Maybe the mysterious man would come back to the waterfalls where they had first met. But after their victory over the Telethia, everything was happening so fast that Shulk had no time to even suggest traveling back to the cascades. They had set up camp in the forest at night, using the next day to travel back to the village of the Nopon.

With her quest fulfilled, Melia was eager to return to Eryth Sea, and Dunga, the chief of Frontier Village, had tasked the Heropon to accompany the group. Even though he apparently based this decision on a prophecy, it was clear that the chief simply wanted Riki to leave the village to earn some money for his wife and children.

It's not like they were paying the little Nopon like some sort of mercenary, but it was a fact that fighting and traveling, collecting and selling monster parts and treasures, could make a little fortune. Furthermore, they were traveling to defeat the Mechon that posed a threat to _every_ living being on Bionis. Hence aiding them in their quest was in the Nopon's interest as well.

All in all, he didn't mind the new addition to their group. Riki was a joyful creature, brightening everyone's mood. His overall positive character and cheerfulness sometimes reminded him of Reyn.

 _Reyn_.  
Shulk felt a blush sneaking upon his cheeks as he thought about the other Homs. They had spent the night before last huddled closely together in a small Nopon guest house, and they had-

Shaking his head, Shulk stopped his train of thoughts. He had given in to his needs that night, but remembering them or merely _looking_ at Reyn still made him horny. It was frustrating to be driven by these desires. Sometimes Shulk felt betrayed by his own body and emotions. They were on a quest to fight against the Mechon, to get revenge after these metal beasts had invaded their homes and murdered their friends.

Yet the foremost thought on Shulk's mind was how it would feel like to have sex with Reyn for real. Going all the way. Having Reyn put his-

Shulk flinched as he noticed his thoughts drifting away again.

"No worry, transport is safe," a friendly Nopon reassured him, and the blond slowly focused back on reality.

Right now, they were on the top of Frontier Village's big tree, standing before an enormous ball of water. Apparently, this ball would transport them safely to Eryth Sea. It sounded like magic, but Ether could do all sorts of things, and Shulk had no reason to distrust Melia or any of the Nopon from this village.

He would have loved to spend another night here, together with Reyn. Would have loved to have the time to search for Alvis. Would have loved to talk more to the Nopon of this village, help them with their troubles, learn more about their culture. But this trip wasn't for his personal enjoyment. They had set out for vengeance, and his visions showed him that he _needed_ to get to Prison Island.

He would regret it if something went wrong or someone died, only because he was hesitating for selfish reasons. He wouldn't let that happen again.

With renewed determination, Shulk stepped into the sphere and trusted in the magical ability of Ether.

Inside, it felt like he was floating. Not much later, the water-type Ether around them dissipated again, and they were standing on a coast.

"We have reached Lateal Shore," Melia informed them, and everyone watched their new surroundings in awe.

The sea was crystal clear, reflecting the azure sky from above. The sand felt soft even below their boots, and the sounds of the waves had a soothing rhythm. Next to the shore was a meadow with white and violet flowers. Alongside them, a few shrubs were growing, without any leaves but with numerous pink buds.

It was amazing how a place like this could exist right above Makna Forest - how the sky they had seen down there was the very sea they were now looking at. Ether was astoundingly powerful, and Shulk made a mental note to analyze it all as soon as they had finished their mission.

The flying islands -one of them even carrying the imperial capital- had piqued his interest as well. Like always, every new thing was _fascinating_ to Shulk while it was _strange_ to Reyn. When they had traveled through Bionis' Interior, his friend had found it weird as well. Nevertheless, Reyn always adapted to a new phenomenon without any prejudices, and Shulk loved that about him.

A small smile slipped to his face before he focused back on the conversation his friends were having.

Melia had already informed them that they needed imperial sanction to enter Prison Island, immediately promising to help them acquire it. She was doing all this without even inquiring about their reasons. Shulk appreciated her discretion, but it wasn't fair to treat the girl like a complete stranger after they had spent several days traveling and fighting together.

Humble at first, Melia soon admitted her interest in the Homs' story. Without hesitation, Shulk told her everything that had happened: from the Mechon's attack to Fiora's death. His failure to save her even though he'd had a vision still gave him a hard time. The sadness and anger which he had felt on this fateful day were coming back to him now. Once, he had thought that time would heal everything, but that wasn't the case.

On the contrary, it felt like every time he retold these events, remembering the full details of the Mechon's attack, the anger bubbling up inside of him only got more importunate. Those bastards would pay for what they had done.

Melia entrusted to him, that while she had heard of the Mechon's assault on the lower regions, she hadn't known how severe it really had been. Shulk didn't blame her for that. Eryth Sea was far away from Colony 9, and who should have traveled here to spread any detailed news?

Focused on their conversation, the group had lost track of time until the setting sun colored their surroundings in a stunning shade of orange-red. Deciding to call it a day and travel to the imperial capital tomorrow morning, they rolled out their sleeping bags on the nearby meadow and started a small fire to cook dinner.

Riki proved to be a valuable addition to the team as he showed his unrivaled fishing skills, and soon they were all sated.

Lost in his thoughts and therefore unable to sleep anyway, Shulk had volunteered to take over the first night watch. A knowing look from Reyn had made his heart clench. It wasn't his intention to make his lover worry, but there was just too much on his mind lately. One reassuring smile was enough to make Reyn sigh and give in, lying down to sleep like the others.

Exhausted from their battle against the Telethia yesterday as well as from their tedious journey through the heat of Makna Forest, back to Frontier Village, and up to Eryth Sea today, the group soon fell asleep.

Alone with his thoughts, Shulk studied Dunban's sleeping face. Sometimes he wished he could read other people's minds. The older Homs had more than once dropped comments indicating he knew about Reyn's and Shulk's feelings for each other. His lover had noted that Dunban didn't have any ill intentions with his teasing, yet Shulk didn't know the older man's _real_ intentions either. Since Shulk didn't have any living relatives, he had always seen Dunban as some kind of older brother, so he valued his opinion.

Back then, at Colony 9, Dunban had teased them as well, but it had been different somehow. If Shulk had to guess, he would say that the older Homs used to think that Shulk and Fiora were in love. Yet Shulk didn't know if he had ever felt that way for Fiora. But then again, he hadn't been aware of his feelings for Reyn either until some time ago.

As a protective older brother, Dunban wouldn't accept just anyone as Fiora's lover, but he had never said anything against Shulk. It was, as if he had accepted Shulk at Fiora's side. Almost hoped for him to be _the one_. Although now, Dunban didn't say anything against Shulk being with Reyn either.

Was it like that because Fiora was gone? Maybe Dunban didn't mind who Shulk was with now. Would he have reacted differently to Shulk's and Reyn's relationship if Fiora were still alive?

Or maybe Shulk had read him wrong all along, and Dunban hadn't any clue about what was going on between Reyn and him. No. His teasing was too precise for that.

Taking a deep breath, Shulk shook his head. He was getting lost in his thoughts again. Dunban might be teasing them, but it was only for fun. It wasn't offending in any way. So there wasn't any need for Shulk to worry about all that anyway, was there?

Yesterday morning, Reyn had told him to stop overthinking and to take a look at the world around him instead.

Following his lover's advice, Shulk opened his eyes. He hadn't even noticed when the sun had set completely. The pink buds of the shrubs on the shore were glowing in the darkness of the night. Some of them had even opened up, their petals forming beautiful flowers. The sea was dark yet sparkling, reflecting the bright lights of the stars above.

Looking up, Shulk's eyes widened in awe. The sky was filled by an endless number of stars, more than he had ever seen, shining brighter than usual. Additionally, lights were shimmering above in all kinds of colors: red, blue, purple. Other lights, taller than stars, were falling from the sky before they dissipated into the night air.

His hand had moved without him even noticing, gently shaking his lover's shoulder, who was sleeping next to him.

"Huh? Somethin' up?" Reyn asked, his voice still hoarse from sleep, as he scanned the area for an incoming attack.

"Look at that," Shulk replied, whispering, his head still turned towards the sky.

"Woah! What's that?" Reyn exclaimed in surprise.

"Riki wants more fish," the Heropon mumbled in his sleep and turned around.

"Shh, come," Shulk hissed and grabbed Reyn's wrist, pulling his lover up and away from their camp.

After walking down the shore a bit, far enough to be out of earshot, Shulk came to a halt, his hand slowly sliding down from his lover's wrist to intertwine their fingers.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he whispered, his gaze still fixed on the unusual phenomenon in the sky.  
"Yeah," his lover answered quietly, looking up as well. "Any idea what it is?"

"Hmm," Shulk grabbed his chin with his free hand, "there's something called _meteor shower_. I've read about that in a book once. Apparently, it's condensed Ether falling from the sky."

"Ether again, huh?"

"Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? Ether is so powerful yet mysterious. It's already an indispensable component of our life: Ether lamps, Ether rifles, healing spells based on Ether, and many more. But despite all, we still don't know everything about Ether, haven't grasped its full potential yet. Just imagine what else might be possible if science finally cracked the secret to the very core of it!" Shulk suddenly stopped his agitated talk. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to bore you with this stuff."

"It's not boring, man. I love how yer eyes sparkle when yer excited. That's even more beautiful than any meteor shower," Reyn answered with a chuckle before he placed a quick kiss to Shulk's lips, his thumb softly stroking over Shulk's hand.

"Reyn!" Shulk hissed, his cheeks turning red as he looked over to their sleeping comrades.

"Don't worry, man."  
"But-"  
"It's rare for you to wake me up," Reyn said to change the subject, grinning as his free hand grabbed Shulk's hips, pulling his lover closer.

"Oh, um, it's just-" still blushing and obviously distracted by how close his lover was, Shulk searched for words, "I just thought you might want to see this meteor shower as well."

"Yeah. Guess we should make the most of it, now that we are both awake, right?" Reyn asked, a wide, teasing smirk on his face.

"Sure. How?" Shulk asked, gulping as he felt his pulse speeding up, his mind coming up with a million different kind of dirty thoughts - at the same time as it screamed at him that their friends were sleeping mere meters away.

"Skinny-dipping!" Reyn exclaimed and lost his clothes - _all_ of them- in record time.

"What?! But-" Before Shulk could even protest, Reyn was already naked, running into the sea. His ass cheeks were moving with every step he took, and Shulk couldn't avert his gaze even if he tried to.

Soon Reyn's gorgeous body vanished into the sparkling yet dark sea as Reyn swam a few strokes. "Come on, man," his lover exclaimed as he turned around, floating on his back, "what yer waitin' for?"

"Reyn!" Shulk hissed, panic rising up as he looked over to their camp, afraid someone might have heard them, "be quiet!"

"Make me," his lover dared to say, a challenging grin on his face.

Looking from his lover back to their companions, Shulk weighed his options. He would regret it if someone woke up and saw them swimming at night - _naked_.

Yet he would regret it even more to miss out on the opportunity to go swimming with Reyn, while a meteor shower rained down to the sea.

He didn't miss his lover's surprised gaze as Shulk really took off his clothes, walking to the sea. The sand beneath his feet was unbelievably soft.

"Finally growin' some balls, eh?" Reyn teased him again.

"Shut up!" Shulk exclaimed as he entered the sea, the water a bit cold at the first contact, but not too cold in general.

"Ooh?"  
Kissing the smirk right off his face, Shulk finally reached his lover.

"Yer full of surprises today, Shulk," Reyn admitted as their lips parted again.  
"And you're talking too loud," the blond stated before leaning in to kiss his lover again.

Their tongues eagerly meeting each other, Shulk already felt his body growing hot, his thoughts drifting off until Reyn accidentally kicked against his shin.

"Ouch!" Shulk let go of his lover's lips to exclaim.  
"Sorry," Reyn apologized and leaned in to kiss him again. The blond reciprocated the kiss, careful not to move his legs too much to avoid kicking his lover.

Reyn had stopped moving his legs like crazy as well, and they finally managed to enjoy their kiss. Searching hold on his lover's broad shoulders, Shulk moved his body closer to his lover, their chests pressing together. Reyn slung his arms around his lower back, pushing them even closer together, and Shulk moaned as he felt his already half-hard arousal touching Reyn's large manhood.

As he tried to take a deep breath, he was only greeted by salty water, and he opened his eyes in shock.

Coughing, both men darted backwards, kicking their legs in the water to keep their heads above the surface. Once his lungs were filled with air again, Shulk started to giggle, and Reyn joined in with his own laughter.

"Never tell anyone we almost drowned, 'cos we forgot ta swim while makin' out," Reyn snorted.  
"My lips are sealed."

"Aaaw, really?" His lover already teased again, a smirk on his lips as he slowly swam closer. "Pretty sure I can break through that seal."

"Reyn!" Shulk complained yet chuckled, not stopping his lover as his tongue invaded his mouth.

Moving his legs to avoid going down again, Shulk accidentally kicked Reyn's shin this time, and the taller man broke their kiss with a snort.

"Come," Reyn whispered as he swam a few strokes back towards the shore, only so far that he could stand on the bottom of the sea, only his head out of the water.

Shulk followed him, the tips of his toes barely reaching the soft sand of the seafloor, while his mouth was underwater and his nose just above the surface. The height difference between him and his lover had never been more evident than right now.

With a snort, Reyn grabbed Shulk's hips, pulling him closer to him. "Just put yer legs around me."

Embarrassed yet turned on enough, Shulk complied wordlessly. As he slung his legs around his lover, their erections pressing against each other once again, Reyn's hands slipped down to grab his ass cheeks, and Shulk moaned.

Silencing the sound with a kiss, Reyn angled his head before their tongues started to dance with each other again.

"I wanted to do that last week already," the taller Homs admitted with a whisper as he broke their kiss.

"Huh?" Shulk asked, opening his eyes, which he must have closed during their kiss.

"At these waterfalls at Makna Forest," his lover explained.

"The waterfalls where I've met Alvis?" Shulk asked and immediately flinched as he felt Reyn pinching his ass cheek.  
"Don't talk about others now."

"Sorry." Shulk felt his cheeks heating up. "I hadn't known you wanted to go swimming back then."

"Mmh, I wanted. Although I gotta admit it's even prettier here," Reyn elaborated as he looked up to the sky, "at night. With this Ether rainin' down."

Shulk followed his lover's gaze up to the sky. The meteor shower was still present, an endless number of lights falling down to the sea, leaving a sparkling trail behind them until even the last bit of Ether dissipated into the air. "It's kinda romantic, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Reyn whispered directly into Shulk's ear, and the blond flinched. His lover began placing kisses on his neck, his hands still grabbing unto his ass cheeks. They moved their hips together, their erections pressing against each other.

Even in the chilly water, Reyn's manhood was hot, and Shulk didn't know why this thought turned him on so much.

Moaning, he angled his head a bit to place kisses on his lover's neck as well. He would have loved to keep watching the meteor shower, but he couldn't keep his eyes open anyway.

The skin of his lover tasted salty from the seawater, but Shulk didn't mind one bit. Soon, he felt one of Reyn's hand moving between his cheeks, a finger steadily rubbing over his clenching hole, and Shulk moaned in anticipation.

He had only taken Reyn's fingers once, but he was eager to do it again, the new feeling being a welcome one.

"Okay?" Reyn asked for consent even though he surely hadn't missed Shulk's eager reaction.  
"Mmh," the blond moaned against his lover's neck, "yes, please."

As soon as his words had left his mouth, Reyn's finger was entering him. It felt a bit different than the night before last, and he clenched around the digit.

"Relax," Reyn said and placed a kiss to Shulk's cheek before angling their heads so that their foreheads were resting against each other. "Water is no adequate substitution for lube."

"Mmh," Shulk mumbled in response and did his best to relax. Slowly, Reyn pressed his finger deeper into his lover until he found that bundle of nerves again, Shulk jerking up with a moan.

"There," Reyn whispered with a smile, curling his finger to keep rubbing the right spot.

Clenching his toes, Shulk started shaking his hips, rubbing their erections faster against each other while moving back against Reyn's finger, eagerly craving more of the new feeling.

"Can ya hold yourself up?" Reyn asked while his other hand had already left Shulk's ass cheek. The blond slung his arms and legs tighter around his lover, and Reyn snorted. "Yeah, ya can. Like an octopus."

"Rey-mmh!" a moan broke Shulk's complaint as he suddenly felt Reyn's free hand sneaking between their bodies, large enough to wrap around both their dicks at once, pressing them closer together.

Already overwhelmed by this pleasure, it was difficult for Shulk to focus on anything. It was too much at once. He was feeling Reyn everywhere. His lover's chest pressed against his own, their erections rubbing against each other, his lover's hands caressing him - front and back.

Shulk was feeling hot. The chilly seawater around them doing nothing to cool down the heat his lover ignited insight of him.

"Shulk, look," Reyn whispered hoarsely. It took the blond all of his willpower to listen to his lover's command.

"Oh!" His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the condensed Ether of the meteor shower raining down right next to them. The glittering Ether hit the surface of the sea before it dissipated, small sparkles swimming in the water until they disappeared as well.

Turning his head just enough to see Reyn's face, he saw the sparkles reflecting in his lover's eyes. A small chuckle left his lips as he bumped his nose against Reyn's. The happiness that was swirling through his whole being made him giddy.

Sharing a few kisses, they had to separate whenever another laughter or moan tumbled over their lips.

The romantic atmosphere, the steady movements of Reyn's hands between their bodies, and his finger inside Shulk were soon too overwhelming. With a surprised moan against Reyn's lips, Shulk eventually reached his orgasm, his lover not far behind. The deep, guttural moan that left Reyn made Shulk shudder. He loved his lover's voice.

Slowly coming down from their enjoyable experience, Shulk kept clinging to his lover's body. Reyn had slung his strong arms around Shulk's lower back by now, holding him up in the water without any difficulty.

To his disappointment, the blond had to notice that the meteor shower had ended by now. Yet the sky was still gorgeous, graced with countless twinkling stars and colorful glowing lights.

"I had no idea such a beautiful place existed," Shulk mumbled, his gaze still turned towards the sky.  
"Yeah. Thought Glowmoss Lake was beautiful, but this place here totally beats it."

The heat was turning his cheeks red when Shulk remembered their shared night at the secret lake, and Reyn's grin indicated that his lover _knew_ what was making him blush.

A small pout found its way to his lips, prompting Reyn to chuckle, the deep rumble vibrating in his chest before he placed a quick kiss to Shulk's lips.

Afterwards, they reluctantly let go of each other, leisurely swimming a bit to cool off the heat between them, before they went back to the shore.

As they stood on the soft sand, plain naked in the moonlight, waiting to dry off, Shulk remembered that their friends were within their range of vision.

Embarrassment let his face light up to the tips of his ears, and he suddenly felt his stomach clenching down.

How could he have been so careless? What if one them had woken up and seen them? He didn't even dare to turn around to look at their camp. Just imagining that one of their friends was up, watching them, made Shulk go rigid with embarrassment.

Furthermore, he had been up to _keep watch_. It was careless of him to leave his sleeping companions alone, not knowing which dangers could lurk in the shadows of the night.

"Ya keep getting lost in thoughts the moment I stop touching ya," Reyn whispered into his ear. His taller lover had suddenly sneaked up behind him, hugging him, his chin resting on Shulk's shoulder.

Trying to ignore the fact that they were both still naked, the blond leaned back against his lover's broad chest. "Sorry. Just realized that I've messed up keeping watch once again."

"Nah," Reyn answered, placing a quick kiss to Shulk's cheek, "ya didn't mess up. Ya woke me up, and I was keepin' an eye on the camp. That's called teamwork."

"You were keeping an eye out even during... _that_?"  
"As best as I could, yeah. I'm used to keepin' watch and protecting. Thanks to a certain someone who always gets lost in thoughts."  
"Hey," Shulk complained and turned around in Reyn's embrace, now facing his lover, "you make that sound as if I needed a babysitter!"

The whole-hearted laugh that left Reyn was too loud for a quiet night like this, and Shulk pressed a hand over his lover's mouth. "Shh!"

"S'rry, man," the taller man mumbled against his hand.

Daring to throw a look over Reyn's shoulder, Shulk watched their sleeping companions for any signs of movements, but apparently, they were all still in the land of dreams.

"I don't mind watching over others," Reyn stated honestly, once Shulk had withdrawn his hand.

"I know," Shulk admitted with a sigh. "I'm glad you're so reliable in this aspect. More than me."

"Hey," Reyn placed a kiss on blond hair, "lemme be good at somethin' as well. Ya can't be the best at everything."

"You're right," Shulk answered with a smile. " _Together_ were are at our best, canceling out each other's weaknesses."  
"Yup!"

They shared a few more kisses while their bodies dried, and Shulk tried to ignore the itching of the dried salt from the seawater left behind on his skin.

Putting their clothes back on, they quietly walked back to camp.

"Don't go overthinking again," Reyn whispered as he laid down on his sleeping back. Biting back a laugh, Shulk noticed that his lover had fallen asleep immediately, without even hearing his answer. "I won't," he whispered into the night and brushed a strand of hair out of Reyn's face.

Despite his conviction, Shulk's thoughts were running in circles again. Thinking about the Mechon and their journey, while thinking about their companions and Reyn, Shulk soon felt tired. Too tired for everything.

Waking up Riki, the Heropon was eager to be tasked with the important mission of keeping watch over everyone.

Snuggling into his own sleeping bag, Shulk lay close to Reyn. Far away enough for it to be unsuspicious, but close enough to touch his lover if he _coincidentally_ were to roll over in his sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what? Now _I_ wanna go to Eryth Sea and watch this beautiful meteor shower ♥ ... on my own, since I'm single XD
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	2. The right balance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Let's write two or three sentences about them getting up and reaching Alcamoth."  
> That was the plan.
> 
> And then I've written this whole chapter. So, as you can see, this chapter wasn't planned. But it fits and I like it, so here we go!

The next morning, Shulk awoke to Melia and Riki talking about fish. Even though merchants sometimes travel between the imperial capital and Frontier Village, there were some fish native to this sea that the mighty Heropon had never heard of before.

Tiredly, Shulk turned around in his sleeping bag. Since they were lying close to each other, his knee collided with Reyn's. Suddenly remembering the events of yesterday night, Shulk leaped up in embarrassment, Melia and Riki startled enough to stop their conversation.

"Shulk? Is everything alright?" Melia asked, her voice as earnest as ever.

"Yes!" Shulk exclaimed at once, the other Homs now stirring, woken up from his loud shout.

"Did Shulk have nightmare?" Riki asked as he quickly took several tiny steps with his short legs to reach the blond. The Heropon put his fluffy hand on Shulk's knee, his expression worried. "Riki has littlepon like that. Littlepon often startles awake because of nightmare."

"Oh, um, yeah. But don't worry. I'm alright now," Shulk answered, forcing a smile to his face. Riki happily jumped up and down, celebrating that his friend was okay.

"Riki will catch special Eryth Sea fish for breakfast! With yummy fish, everyone happy!"

Before anyone could object, the Heropon had already jumped to the sea, intending to catch every fish that crossed his path.

With the bouncing ball of energy gone, it was quiet around camp. Yet not for long, since Riki kept calling out to Melia, asking her if she knew where these fish she had mentioned were most likely to find.

Walking over to the shore, Melia shouted out information and instructions towards Riki. It was unexpected how well these two got along, but it made him smile.

Not fond of eating nothing but fish again, Reyn had left camp in search of some vegetable. Sharla was accompanying him.

The moment Shulk realized that this left him alone at camp with Dunban, the older Homs had already spoken up. "Are you really alright, Shulk?"

Feeling caught out about nothing yet everything at once, the blond was too startled to even answer. Shulk wasn't even sure _what_ he was afraid of.

"You know you can always rely on me," the older Homs softly emphasized.

"I know," Shulk finally managed to answer, feeling the other's patiently waiting gaze on him. After taking a deep breath, he dared to speak up again. "What makes you think I'm not alright?"

"Quite a lot of things," Dunban admitted without hesitation. "Foremost, I just _know_ that something has changed. I noticed as soon as we've reunited at the Ether Mine. We have only been apart for some days, but you felt like a completely different person."

"Different person?"

"Yes, how should I say this," Dunban mumbled, sorting out his thoughts. "It isn't unusual for you to get lost in your thoughts when you are focused on your research. But lately, it feels like you are losing your determination whenever you start thinking too much."

"Huh?"

"At one point, you are set on revenge. Then suddenly, you get so lost in thought that you appear to be listless. Sometimes you're spacing out so much, I'm getting worried about your safety," Dunban carefully explained, and Shulk realized that the older Homs was only worried about him.

"Now that you mention it," Shulk admitted, gripping his chin in thought, "back at the research lab, I always got lost in my studies. But lately, my thoughts are going in circles, often without coming up with a satisfactory answer. That's why I probably seem lost afterwards."

"And that's what makes me worried."

"I'm sorry, Dunban. That was never my intention."

"I know, Shulk." He smiled. "Just try to be more aware of your surroundings, and remember that you are not alone. We are all here to help."

"Yes, I know. Thank you." Shulk smiled as well. "It just happened so much at once. The assault on the Colony, the Monado, these visions, Fiora," the blond stopped, biting his lips. It was inconsiderate to mention Dunban's dead sister. Suddenly, he was feeling very uncomfortable.

"Yes, it is a lot at once. It would probably be more worrisome if you took all that _without_ any troubles. But," Dunban interjected, his gaze sharp, "is that all that's on your mind? Or did something else happen while we were separated?"

"Who wants some radishes?" Reyn suddenly asked, and when Shulk turned around, he was face to face with the Homs' sexy naked abs.

His lover had pulled up his shirt to use it as a bag for the little vegetables he had collected.

"Reyn, you can't just jump into a conversation like that!" Sharla complained.

"Huh? Did I interrupt something?" Reyn asked, but Shulk knew his childhood friend long enough to notice when he was only pretending to be innocent. The taller Homs must have noticed Shulk was getting uncomfortable.

"It's alright," Dunban answered, maybe only out of politeness, but Shulk took it as his way out of this conversation.

"We've gotta wash these," the blond mentioned as he stood up, looking down, hoping that his bangs hid his red cheeks. Grabbing Reyn's elbow, he pulled his lover away from camp, somehow managing to grab a bowl from their stack of cooking utensils in the process.

"Woah! Careful, man!" Reyn stumbled the first few steps as Shulk suddenly pulled him along.

Quickly walking away from camp, they only stopped once they reached the sea. Crouching down next to each other, their thighs touching, Reyn let the radishes fall down to the wet sand of the beach, the small waves of the sea almost carrying them away.

Their hands met, when they reached for the same vegetable at once, Shulk blushing even more and Reyn chuckling. "Sorry, man."

"Nothing to be sorry about," the blond answered honestly. It was nice to feel the heat of Reyn's thigh pressed close to own, but it didn't help to fight back the blush on his face.

"Everything alright?" Reyn asked as they caught the radishes that threatened to get drifted away by the waves, putting them further up on the beach.

"Why does _everyone_ keep asking me that today?" Shulk retorted with an exasperated sigh, immediately regretting taking this out on his lover. "Sorry. I know you're just worried."

"Looked like ya had a serious talk with Dunban," Reyn stated, and Shulk felt his heart warming up. The way that his lover only brought this up, not wording it as a question, took the pressure away. It let Shulk decide if we wanted to talk about it in details, or simply confirm or deny it to have an easy way out.

"Yeah, he is worried about me being distracted and losing focus while getting lost in thoughts."

Grabbing one vegetable after another, they used the seawater to wash away the mud until the radishes revealed a beautiful tropical color.

"Everyone's distracted from time to time," Reyn stated.

"Yes, but I can't deny that it's gotten worse. It bothers me."  
"Am I distractin' ya?" Reyn asked without looking at his lover, focused on putting the now clean radishes into the bowl Shulk had grabbed.

Taking too much time to think about an appropriate answer, had caused a sad glint to befall Reyn's eyes. "Wanna keep more distance again?" the taller Homs whispered, and Shulk's heart almost broke.

"No," he denied at once, and that at least got the smile back to Reyn's lips, yet his eyes were still disturbed. "It's just-" he sighed. "How do I put this?"

"Come back here, fishy! There's no escaping the great Heropon!" Riki exclaimed suddenly, dashing through the water right next to them in chase of a fish.

"Watch it, furball!" Reyn complained as the water splashed towards them, and the waves, caused by Riki's sudden movements, threatened to make the vegetables drift away again.

"Sorry, sidekicks!" The Nopon exclaimed and swam further down the beach again, where Melia was pointing at a swarm of fish.

A chuckle left Shulk's lips. Sometimes the world felt so peaceful he almost forgot why they were even out here. And maybe that was exactly what had Dunban worried.

"The Mechon's attack on Colony 9, including Fiora's death, is one of the _worst_ things ever happening to me," the blond explained, and Reyn was giving him his undivided attention. "Yet the way our relationship developed is one of the _best_ things ever happening to me," Shulk added, a lovely smile on his face. He was surprised when he noticed an unexpected blush on Reyn's face.

"But it all happened in such a short amount of time, that my brain can't catch up with it," Shulk admitted, absentmindedly picking up the next radish to clean. Even now, he almost dared to get lost in thoughts again, but the heat of Reyn's thigh was a steady anchor to reality. "Sometimes, I think that I'm spending too much time with you and should focus on our quest instead. But then again, I think I'm driven too much by revenge. And I start to neglect you and my friends too much. It's difficult for me to find the right balance. How do you handle that?"

"Me?" Reyn sighed, exhausted. "I don't know, man. I'm not thinking about that stuff. I just take it as it is. Like, lookin' at the bigger picture, we are on our way to this Prison Island, and we know that our next stop is this High Entia capital. Thinking about that every second won't get us there any faster. So, I just try to enjoy our time. Right here, right now, washing vegetables, looking forward to delicious breakfast, talking to ya, feeling ya." he playfully nudged Shulk with his elbow. "I think it's alright to enjoy these quiet times. As long as we still keep traveling towards our goal."

"Huh. Enjoying the here and now while we keep getting closer to our goal," Shulk summarized, pondering over the statement. "That's reasonable. How do you always manage to come up with a solution so easily? It's amazing."

Reyn shrugged his shoulders before they both started to laugh. Shulk was glad that he had talked to his lover. He was feeling better now. The other Homs was right. There was no gain from denying himself to feel joy when they had a little downtime while traveling.

Once they had finished washing the vegetables, the two Homs walked back to camp, where Riki was proudly announcing that he had caught enough fish for the Heropon and all of his sidekicks.

"Oh, tropical radishes. They are exceedingly sweet. A traditional side dish to these fish," Melia explained as soon as she spotted the vegetables.

"Perfect!" Reyn announced happily, and they all sat down around the campfire to grill their fish.

Once the fish were well-done yet still a bit too hot, they all picked up some radishes first. Taking the first bite of something new was always a bit nerve-wracking for Shulk. Especially when vegetables were involved.

"Delicious!" Reyn exclaimed while Shulk only grimaced.  
"Ya really don't like vegetables, don'tcha?"  
"Nothing new," Dunban commented with an amused smile, but Shulk didn't miss how quickly Dunban reached for his fish after taking one bite of the colorful vegetable. Apparently, not minding the heat of the fish as long as he could cover up the taste of the weird radish.

"They don't even taste like usual radishes," Shulk retorted with a pout.  
"Tropical radishes are known for their sweetness," Melia mentioned again, "although these taste a bit salty due to the seawater."

"Still, it's like combining the sweetness of fruits with the spiciness of radishes." Sharla's eyes lit up after taking the first bite. "I love it."

"That's because you like _every_ fruit or vegetable," Shulk mentioned.  
"Shulk is like picky littlepon!" Riki exclaimed, and everyone laughed, their sounds drowning out Shulk's embarrassing attempts of protesting.

After finishing their rather ample breakfast, they traveled along Lateal Shore until they reached a transporter.

As always, Shulk was fascinated by this technology, whereas Reyn found it creepy at first.

Nonetheless, they all used the transporters to travel over two hovering reefs until they arrived at the entrance to the imperial city Alcamoth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	3. Lurking Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter and it's getting a bit darker, but I need to set the right mood for Prison Island. (Seriously, Shulk is so out of himself on Prison Island. Did you ever notice? He's so irrational and angry. But let's leave that for later. For chapter 6 xD)

The group had reached the imperial capital around noon. To their surprise, some guards had immediately escorted Melia.

More guards showed up, guiding Shulk and the others to the Whitewing Palace, a part of the imperial palace. Reyn had called it a fancy prison, and as much as Shulk trusted in Melia, he couldn't blame Reyn for this comparison.

It was unsettling that they weren't allowed to leave even though they were considered _guests_.

Despite all that, Shulk hadn't yet lost his trust in Melia and conveyed this sentiment to his companions. It warmed his heart when Reyn, once again, trusted in Shulk's judgment enough to believe him without any arguments, even though the taller Homs obviously had lost some trust in their newest female companion before.

Still, waiting here was making Shulk restless. Melia had promised to arrange a meeting with the Emperor. Having no idea how Melia intended to achieve that and how long it would take, Shulk realized that he might have shared _his_ story with Melia yesterday, but didn't know a thing about her yet. She was still the mysterious girl they had met back in Makna Forest.

His pondering came to an abrupt end as the door to their room opened. Shulk's eyes widened in surprise as he noticed _who_ had graced them with their presence.

"Alvis!" Shulk exclaimed happily, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Dunban looking up in interest, whereas Reyn's countenance darkened.

Without hesitation, the blond told Alvis why they were here, and that he was worried about Melia. Exceeding his expectations, Alvis, called the _divine seer_ by the guards, even arranged for them to be allowed to leave the Whitewing Palace. His trust in Alvis hadn't been in vain. There were so many more things he wanted to ask the other man -about the Monado, his abilities as a seer, the Telethia- but, unfortunately, Alvis immediately had to leave again.

But at least he had met him once more. What a coincidence that he had traveled from Makna Forest to Eryth Sea as well!

Reyn was relieved they were finally allowed to leave this room, but Shulk didn't miss how something was bothering his lover beneath the surface.

Wondering if it could have anything to do with Alvis, Shulk missed the opportunity to ask as an agitated guard showed up in search of the divine seer. Panicked, he explained that they had received an SOS from a small squadron repairing a transporter at Eryth Sea before they'd suddenly lost contact.

Since time was of the essence, Reyn and Riki immediately got ready to depart, eager to help. Shulk loved that Reyn was just as helpful as himself. They both couldn't turn a blind eye on anyone in need.

The guard had provided them with a map of Eryth Sea. On it, he had marked the location where the squadron was supposed to be and the fastest route there.

Thanks to the transporters, traveling across the hovering reefs of Eryth Sea went quickly. Shulk almost wished the Nopon had had this kind of technology in Makna Forest. While he had enjoyed discovering new places in the forest, the heat had gotten to him quite often. A faster way of transportation would have spared them some inconveniences.

Yet he knew that the Nopon weren't fond of metal or any machines not made out of wood. Maybe it was also possible to build a transporter out of wood with just the right usage of Ether?

Anyhow, it would be sensational if he could manage to grasp the technology behind these transporters. It would make life easier at Colony 9 as well. They could install a transporter up at the cylinder hanger next to Tephra Cave, where the Ether cylinders were stored.

Reyn would surely appreciate it if he didn't have to travel the long way through Tephra Cave all the time. After all, his childhood friend wasn't fond of spiders, and recently their population had increased drastically inside the cave.

Shulk would love nothing more than if his curiosity in science could help his lover.

"Stop getting distracted, Shulk!" Dunban yelled, and the blond focused back on reality as Reyn blocked an incoming attack for him.

"Sorry!" he replied and sneaked up behind one of the Kromars that had suddenly attacked them on their way.

Together they managed to win the fight unharmed, but Dunban looked angry, walking over to him. Reyn opened his mouth to speak up, probably to defend Shulk, but one stern gaze from the older Homs was enough to make Reyn take a step back in silence.

"Shulk! I know you have much on your mind, but please, at least, keep your focus during battles!" He scolded the younger Homs, but Shulk knew that Dunban only lost his patience when he was worried.

"I'm sorry. You are right," the blond replied, looking down, ashamed of the slip-up. It wasn't even the first time this had happened.  
"Your behavior is putting us all in danger!" The older Homs continued.  
"I'm sorry," Shulk repeated, knowing full well that he didn't have any right or reason to retort.

"Dundun right," Riki commented, his small arms on his hips to emphasize his position. "Littlepon can't keep daydreaming. Oh, Riki make mistake. Shulk no littlepon."

"No," Shulk looked up with a small smile, "you're not wrong, Riki. I've made the same mistake as an amateur. That isn't like me. Sorry again."

A deep sigh left Dunban. "As long as you are aware of your own mistakes and promise to be more careful from now on, it's alright."

"Just _talk_ to us if something is bothering you," Sharla said.

"I will. Thank you." The blond Homs nodded at her.

Still in a hurry to save the squadron, they continued their way over the hovering reefs. At some point, Reyn walked close to Shulk, asking if he was alright. Guilty that he made his lover worry probably even more than the others, Shulk assured him that he was fine.

To stay true to his words, Shulk focused on his surroundings, watching out for any dangers approaching, careful not to get lost in unnecessary thoughts again.

In the evening, they arrived at the place marked on their map. Fortunately, the squadron had managed to hold up until then, and together they all managed to fight off the attackers.

The relief they felt after saving everyone made room for exhaustion to settle in. Hence, they all decided to spend the night camping out here before heading back first thing in the morning.

Dunban and Sharla were taking watch this night, and Shulk was grateful for it. For once, he was exhausted and sleep-deprived enough to appreciate a full night's rest.

Even his thoughts didn't manage to keep him from falling asleep almost immediately. Yet the nightmares didn't spare him.

In his dream, they had finally reached Prison Island and were fighting against the faced Mechon. But it wasn't alone. There was an endless number of them, all of them teasing him for being too weak to protect anyone. Shulk had to watch his comrades getting knocked out one after another until only he and Reyn remained standing.

He had a vision about Reyn getting stabbed by the very same metal claws that had taken Fiora away from them. He saw the attack coming, saw his lover putting himself between the claws and Shulk, ready to protect the blond. Shulk tried to warn Reyn, he wanted to scream, but no voice came out. He attempted to move, the push Reyn away from the attack, but he couldn't move an inch. It was like he was frozen. Unable to do anything, but watch this horrible turn of events play out in front of him.

"You're pathetic, Monado boy," Metalface screamed, as his claws broke through Reyn's weapon first before they stabbed through his whole upper body, bloody tips coming out on his back.

The agonizing cry that left Reyn was shattering Shulk's entire world.

"Reyn!" He screamed in panic, and his body flinched in shock.

"Shulk! Wake up, man!"  
The blond suddenly came back to his senses as he heard Reyn's voice, felt his strong hands on his shoulders, shaking him.

"Reyn?!" Shulk's eyes widened as he saw his lover's worried face, illuminated only by the light of the moon and stars ahead.

Still not sure what was dream, vision, or reality, Shulk pushed up Reyn's shirt, examining his lover's chest and stomach for any kind of damage, letting his hand travel over the soft bronze skin.

"S-Shulk?" taken aback by this sudden action, Reyn stuttered in confusion.

" _Oh?_ " Dunban's amused voice rang through, and Shulk finally realized where he was. Looking around, he noticed everyone's eyes on him - even those of the squadron members they'd saved. They were all awake, staring at him while he was feeling up Reyn's chest.

A deep red blush found its way to his face, and he immediately lay down again, pushing his sleeping bag over his face. "S-sorry! I had a nightmare."

"Riki heard," the Heropon said, his usual cheerfulness missing. "Riki worried."

"You were tossing and turning. Even screaming at the end," Sharla explained, her voice concerned, and Shulk felt guilty.

It was one thing that _he_ sometimes had trouble sleeping, but he never intended to rob his comrades of their sleep as well. "Sorry. It won't happen again," he promised, his voice muffled by the fabric he was still hiding beneath.

"No need to apologize, it's not like you're doing it on purpose," their medic answered. "We're just worried. You don't have to bottle everything up and deal with it by yourself."

"I won't," he responded on reflex but didn't say any more. He heard the sighs of his comrades, felt their disappointed stares on him even if he couldn't see them.

There wasn't anything he needed to discuss. Dunban had already told him to stop getting lost in thoughts, but instead, concentrate on their battles. And Shulk was taking this advice to heart, while he desperately tried to find the right balance between his revenge and love life.

"Shulk?" Reyn whispered after everyone had laid down again to sleep. His lover's voice sounded so worried, it almost broke Shulk's heart, but he couldn't talk to Reyn now. Not here with everyone else around.

A sigh left the taller Homs, and Shulk suddenly felt a strong arm pulling him back against Reyn's chest.

Part of him wanted to protest, didn't want any of the others to see them cuddling. Even if most of them might have fallen asleep again, there had to be at least one person still up, keeping watch. Shulk didn't know who it was, since he was still huddled up to a small ball, hugging his knees, his whole body inside the sleeping bag.

It was way too hot by now, but he didn't dare move. Beneath his back, he felt Reyn's upper body moving slightly with every breath his lover took, his strong arm around him, keeping him grounded.

It was okay.  
No one would deduce they were lovers because of this. Reyn was only there to protect him from the terrors of the night. It had been pretty obvious that he had dreamed about Reyn getting hurt before.

A shudder went through his body as he remembered his nightmare, and Reyn tightened his embrace.

Trying to relax, Shulk concentrated on keeping his breathing calm. His thoughts were daring to get out of control. Remnants of his nightmare were telling him, he would mess up again at Prison Island, but he didn't dare to give in to negative thoughts. This time he wouldn't mess up. He would save everyone and would get revenge for what the Mechon had done to Colony 9.

At some point of the night, Reyn turned in his sleep, his strong arm leaving Shulk, as the taller Homs now lay on his back, snoring slightly.

Still hot and sticky beneath the covers, Shulk nonetheless felt cold at the sudden loss of his lover's touch. But he would have to deal with it. Now wasn't the time for being lovey-dovey. He should try to get some sleep so that he would be recovered enough for tomorrow's battles.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!
> 
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	4. A reliable companion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does this game not have falling damage when you hit the surface of water?! 
> 
> [Here are some screenshots, I've taken around this part of the game. Don't miss them! ](https://twitter.com/SophiaHoppia/status/1302563427102138369)

Shulk hadn't managed to catch any more sleep last night, and it must have shown. Everyone was treating him with the utmost care as if he was an already cracked egg, ready to be fully broken by even the tiniest bit of pressure.

Reyn was walking noticeably close to him as they escorted the squadron back to Alcamoth, ready to defend Shulk from any incoming attack. While he appreciated the sentiment, it only made him remember his latest nightmare.

Yet telling Reyn to stay further away felt like letting the nightmare take control of his decision making, and he would never do that. It had been nothing but a dream. He wouldn't let that get to him any longer.

Riki was caring in his own way. Happily, the Nopon was bouncing a few steps in front of Shulk, picking up every stone and branch that was lying there, throwing them away to a safe distance so that Shulk wouldn't trip.

Sharla had made sure that Shulk had eaten his breakfast. _Coincidentally_ , it had included many dark mangos they had collected before leaving Makna Forest. By now, they were ripe enough to eat, and Shulk had to admit that he enjoyed the sweet flavor of the fruit just as much as Sharla did. Reyn hadn't looked particularly happy about this vast number of fruits but hadn't uttered any complaints either.

Dunban was unusually quiet, watching Shulk out of the corner of his eye. The blond wasn't sure if the older Homs was worried or looking for an opportunity to talk, but last year's hero kept quiet.

They were taking almost the same way back to Alcamoth they had used yesterday. The hovering reefs didn't provide many alternatives, but the squadron members still knew a few routes that would help them avoid more aggressive monsters by traveling along the east side of the reef instead of the west.

By the time they arrived back at Alcamoth, it was already noon. In front of the palace, a bunch of market stalls was getting dismantled, and Sharla was checking out the last remaining goods before they got stored away.

"If you wanted to shop at the market, we're a bit too late," a member of the squadron said, his tone apologizing.

"Oh, don't worry, it's alright," Sharla reassured, although she was disappointed.

"The morning market is here six times a week, so you can still check it out tomorrow," another of the squadron members explained, "there even is a night market, selling different goods, but it's only open twice a week. Should be open tomorrow night again."

"Different goods?" Riki asked in interest, and some of the squadron members laughed while others blushed.

"Yeah, some of these goods aren't for-" his eyes nervously darted toward the Nopon "- _little ones_ , so they only get sold at night."

"Ooh, Riki knows! Special grape juice that makes littlepons sick. Even makes grown-up-pons dizzy when drinking too much."

"For example, yes."

"Oh," Dunban rubbed his three-day beard as a longing smile appeared on his lips. "I wouldn't mind a good drink after everything that happened."

The conversation dropped as they reached the palace. The guard at the entrance was visibly relieved about the safe return of everyone. The squadron members had to report back to their superior, while Shulk and the others went back to the Whitewing Palace where they had been yesterday.

The guards had told them that the divine seer had arranged lunch for them, assuming they would be back around this time.

Impressed by this thoughtfulness, Shulk's mood lifted immediately. "We have to thank Alvis later!"

A groan left Reyn, but his lover cheered up as soon as he laid eyes on the variety of food placed on the ample banquet table.

It was exuberant enough to contain favorites of everyone, and for once, they _all_ enjoyed a tasty meal.

The overall mood had taken a turn for the better, and they looked outside. A large number of High Entia had gathered in front of the palace. There, the Emperor was speaking about his successor.

By now, they had all figured out that Melia was a princess. Yet she still had to undergo a trial at a Tomb.

A vision hit Shulk out of nowhere, and he felt his whole body clenching up as he remembered last night's bad dream. Only this time, it wasn't a dream but a vision. Melia was in danger.

Panicking, not knowing how to help her as fast as possible, Shulk was relieved as suddenly Alvis showed up. As always, the seer's timing was perfect. The blond told him that assassins would kill Melia inside the Tomb.

Soon after, Kallian, Melia's brother, showed up, and things got hectic. Every second they spent just staying there, _talking_ , made Shulk feel more and more restless. They couldn't afford to waste any second. Time was of the essence since Shulk had no intention of letting this vision come true. It was bad enough he had nightmares about his friends dying. He wouldn't let that happen in reality.

While he had been standing there, nervously and restlessly turning over his thoughts, remembering the vision in search of any hints that might help them later, Dunban and Reyn had talked to Kallian.

Anyone else was prohibited from entering the Tomb while a potential successor underwent the trial. Yet Dunban had outwitted this rule by saying that it only applied to High Entia and not to Homs or Nopon.

Being an older brother as well, Kallian appreciated Dunban's efforts and didn't stop them from departing.

Alvis was accompanying them, and this fact alone made Shulk calm down a bit. The fellow seer was a very dependable companion, even though they hadn't spent much time together yet.

The assassin Shulk had seen in his vision could have been an Inquisitor of the Bionite Order. At least, that's what Alvis had deduced, so it had to be true. Somehow, this made Shulk worry about Melia's safety even more. After all, she wasn't threatened by just anyone but by a _professional_ killer.

Leaving the palace, Shulk was annoyed that the only transporter out of Alcamoth was on the opposite side of the capital. Every step through the city felt like a waste of time to him, an inner voice telling him to hurry up and save Melia.

Still, this route was the only way. Also, it was the same route Melia had taken. If they hurried, they should be able to catch up with her.

"Shouldn't we run?" he asked as his impatience won over his mind.  
"We would be exhausted before we even arrived, causing us to slow down later and be an easy target in battle," Alvis explained with a calm voice. "Let's just continue walking at a fast pace."

Riki nodded in relief, his legs so short, he was almost running already only to keep up with the Homs.

As always, Alvis had chosen his words wisely, and the stern gaze Dunban was giving him showed the older Homs hadn't appreciated Shulk's question. "You're right."

To fight down his impatience, the Homs decided to make use of their time traveling as best as possible. After all, it was a rare opportunity to talk to someone who had visions as well.

The divine seer explained that his family had always worked closely together with the imperial family, getting their visions through some sort of rituals. His visions were different from Shulk's. Therefore, he hadn't seen any danger befalling Melia yet.

"Not much use as a seer then, are you?" Reyn suddenly said with so much spite that Shulk wondered what had made him so pissed off.

"Nothing passes you by, does it?" Alvis replied, sterner than ever before, yet his voice hadn't lost its usual calm vibe. The two men were staring at each other, some battle unknown to Shulk fought through their eyes alone.

Intend to avoid whatever conflict was building up between these two, Shulk turned the topic of the conversation towards the Monado. According to Alvis, the sword had been passed down the imperial line for generations until it got sealed away. When used in the right way, it could even control Ether. That would be power too great to let it fall into the wrong hands.

A lot of power always came with a lot of responsibility as well, Shulk knew that. Just like these visions forced him to _do_ something to avoid letting terrible events happen in the future.

By the time they entered the Tomb of the High Entia, the sun had already set. While Shulk was taking in the structure of the room, comparing it to what he had seen in his vision, Reyn suddenly pressed some kind of button. The floor opened beneath them, causing them to fall. Fortunately, they landed in a tank of water, which wasn't a pleasurable landing either, but at least they survived with only a few bruises - nothing Sharla's healing Ether couldn't fix.

It had been a mistake that could happen to everyone. But the way Reyn didn't even acknowledge it as _his_ fault that they had to take a detour now irritated Shulk. Just like the fact that Reyn tried to blame him and Alvis for not warning him with a vision. Shulk knew Reyn well enough to realize that the redhead was only taken a sideswipe at Alvis. Addressing Shulk as well was only a way to make it less obvious, but it didn't work for him.

Still not knowing why Reyn put up this childish behavior of rivalry around the other seer, Shulk lost his patience as he spoke up. " _You_ got us into this mess! And it's not the first time either."

His companions agreed with him while Reyn kept denying any blame. Fed up with this unnecessary banter while Melia's life was on the line, Shulk continued his way through the Tomb.

The lack of daylight -or moonlight to be more precise- made it difficult to judge how much time had passed since they'd arrived here. Fighting the ancient guards of the Tomb appeared like a never-ending task, as they continued their way through the brightly lit hallways of the Tomb. Shulk hadn't expected such an ample labyrinthine building with several floors.

It didn't take long for him to get a headache. The unnatural light was making him squint his eyes, while his lack of sleep from the last nights made his body feel heavy. The constant worry about Melia and the draining battles didn't make him feel any better either.

Pushing through had been worth it since Melia was still alive when they finally reached her. The attacker was insulting her as a half-breed. Shulk hoped that not all High Entia thought of that as something negative.

Things got hectic as a Telethia suddenly appeared to attack them. Fortunately, even after their long journey, the adrenalin was enough to push them through this battle.

When the Dinobeast suddenly threatened to explode in the end, Alvis once again managed to save them, as he canceled out the shock wave. Still in awe about this fast reaction, Shulk thanked the seer.  
"My pleasure, Shulk," Alvis responded with such a fond smile that Shulk's worries suddenly felt a bit lighter and he smiled.

Although that probably hadn't to do anything with Alvis but only with the fact that they had managed to save Melia.

Suddenly Reyn was calling out to him. His lover's gaze was stern as he was trying to get the blond's attention, telling him that the assassin had vanished.

Not sure if he felt relieved they didn't have to fight an assassin as well, or paranoid because they couldn't know if they came back, Shulk sighed.

At least they were saved for now. Melia thanked them for rescuing her and completed what she had come to do.

By the time the ritual was finished, the fatigue had caught up with everyone. It probably would have been reasonable to rest for a while, but neither of them fancied the thought of staying inside this Tomb longer than necessary.

As they left the Tomb, they were greeted by the afternoon sun. Riki was complaining about being tired and hungry, the rumbling of his stomach louder than the roar of a Satorl Volff. Shulk couldn't blame the little Nopon. They had eaten a few sandwiches between fights inside the Tomb, but their last decent meal had been yesterday's lunch.

Pulling an all-nighter after two nights without a decent amount of sleep was making Shulk a bit dizzy. Since he didn't intend to make everyone worry about him again, he kept that to himself, though. Furthermore, the others all looked tired as well. There was no need for him to spell it out. The Heropon was doing that often enough for all of them by now, a never-ending chorus of "Riki tired." and "Riki hungry."

When they finally reached the palace, the setting sun was casting its orange light down to the imperial capital.

A weird feeling of disappointment befell Shulk, as Alvis left their group again, accompanying Melia to report to Kallian and the Emperor about the events of the Tomb. He would have _loved_ to talk more to Alvis. Together, they might be able to solve some mysteries about the Monado and their visions.

While these two were away, the rest of the group went back to the Whitewing Palace. Riki's energy was back as soon as the Nopon spotted their dinner, bouncing happily on the table as he picked up treats with his right and his left wing at the same time.

Eating despite not feeling very hungry, Shulk had to admit that the meal helped him feel better, the nasty dizziness slowly fading away.

Just as they had finished eating, two guards came to pick up Shulk for an audience with the Emperor.

Hoping to acquire imperial sanction to enter Prison Island, Shulk immediately went to meet the regent.

Their conversation was long and draining. The rescue of Melia was reason enough for her father to thank Shulk and ask him to be her friend. What _wasn't_ pleasurable was everything that the Emperor told Shulk about the future. According to their forefathers, all living beings were in danger of getting extinguished if the Bionis should awaken again. Unfortunately, all signs were at that. Therefore, the Mechon must be stopped.

Not denying their pursuit of revenge, Shulk asked for entry to Prison Island to fight the faced Mechon as he had seen in his vision.

The Emperor needed more time to think about his request, though, and Shulk accepted that decision. Tomorrow would be Melia's coronation as the Crown Princess. Maybe he could talk to him afterwards again.

His friends had been awaiting his return, eager to hear the Emperor's decision. Shulk summarized what they had talked about before a guard showed up.

"I have prepared the guest rooms for you, follow me," the guard explained and led them towards a hallway in another part of the castle.

"These three rooms are for you. There are two beds inside each room. Is that sufficient?" the guard asked.

"Of course," Dunban answered politely.

"There are small bathrooms attached, as well. Our Electric and Fire Ether Crystals are always running, so you can use the lamps and hot water even during nighttime," the guard elaborated before he bowed and went back to his post.

"Hom Hom Hero stay with Nopon Hero!" Riki exclaimed, excitedly flapping his wings in front of the first door. His tiredness from earlier was merely a distant memory now.  
"Alright," the older Homs chuckled.

"Then I'll take the second room," Sharla decided with a yawn and went inside. "A bath and a bed are just what I need right now. Good night, guys."

"If I remember correctly, the night market should be open tonight," Dunban mentioned. "I think I might go get a drink."

"Oh, oh, Riki too! Riki interested in local drinks," the Heropon exclaimed, and Shulk once again remembered that Riki was more than twice as old as himself. A fact, he sometimes forgot.

"What about you two?" the older Homs asked.

"I wanted ta check out the market as well," Reyn answered at the same time as Shulk said, "I'm too tired."

"Alright, I'll take a quick bath before we leave. Meet up in half an hour?" Dunban suggested, and Reyn agreed.

As they entered their guest room, Shulk's knees suddenly gave out beneath him. As he was sitting down on the floor, his back leaning against the closed door behind him, Reyn immediately crouched down in front of him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Shulk?" his lover asked, more than worried.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I'm just tired," the blond explained honestly.

"Alright," Reyn sighed in relief. "Ya should take a quick bath and then go to bed."

"Mmh," Shulk mumbled, but he had already troubles to keep his eyes up. He had gathered the last remnants of his energy as he had talked to the Emperor. Now that he was alone with his lover, he subconsciously must have realized that there was no need to keep up appearances anymore. Suddenly, fatigue was hitting him.

The flow of water was hearable, but Shulk only realized that it was the sound of the bathtub getting filled, as he felt Reyn taking off his shoes. When had the other even left to turn up the water?

"Can ya undress on yer own?" Reyn asked, putting away the shoes, and the embarrassment of getting undressed by his lover was enough to make Shulk open his eyes and at least take off his upper garment.

Reyn went to check on the bathtub, put some soap into it, and took off his shirt. Meanwhile, Shulk had wiggled out of his trousers, only his underwear remaining.

"Don't start being shy now," Reyn mentioned with a snort.

"'m just slow," Shulk explained before he got interrupted by a yawn, "'cause I'm tired."

"Alright," his lover answered and helped him get up, so Shulk could take off the last remaining piece of clothing.

As he wondered if he even had enough strength left to walk to the bathtub, Reyn had already picked him up bridal style, and Shulk's eyes widened in surprise. "R-Reyn!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the taller Homs chuckled. "At least now yer awake enough, that I don't have ta worry about you drowin' in the bath."

It was true, what the other Homs had said. Shulk was only now awake enough to take in the layout of the room. The main room had a window with curtains drawn and two beds. One on the left and one on the right side of the window. In the corner next to the entrance door stood a small table with two chairs, a beautiful flower arrangement displayed on it. The door on the other side was leading to the small bathroom, where Reyn had already filled up the bathtub.

Shulk sighed as he felt the warm water surrounding him. The soap smelled of citrus, and he started relaxing again, closing his eyes.

"Don't fall asleep yet," his lover reminded him, as he was sitting on the edge of the tub, using a soft washcloth to wipe along Shulk's arms.

"I won't," the blond answered and relished his lover's attention and care.

"Sorry," Shulk mumbled after a while when Reyn was washing his back.

"About what?"

"Bawling at you earlier," he elaborated, "or yesterday. Or whenever that was."

"Hm?" his lover hummed softly.

"After you've pushed that button."

"Ah," the tone of Reyn's voice gave away that he had realized what Shulk was talking about.

"I've had this nightmare," the blond started to explain, but had to take a short break as Reyn poured water over his head, "about all of you getting killed."

"That's the worst," the taller Homs stated, as he softly washed blond hair while carefully massaging Shulk's scalp.

"It is. So when I've had this vision about Melia dying, and we had to take a detour because we fell down that hole..." Shulk continued to explain while he used the washcloth to wash the rest of his body.

"Yeah, I get it. You've been restless and in a hurry all the time," Reyn mentioned as he used some water to rinse out the shampoo from Shulk's hair, careful not to let it flow over his face.

"Yeah, but that was no reason to yell at you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We've all been on edge. Never was my intention to get us down there. How could I have known that freakin' button would do that?!"

Shulk thought that Alvis, in fact, _had_ warned him, but he didn't mention it, not eager to cause a new conflict.

"You couldn't have known," he answered instead.

"Yeah. But I shouldn't have made such a scene because of it either. Sorry, man."

"It's alright. Everything ended well, so I'm not mad," Shulk answered, and looked up to smile at his lover.

"We're good then?"

"Of course."

They smiled at each other, and Reyn leaned down to steal a quick kiss from Shulk's lips before he grabbed Shulk under his arms. "Alright, out with you."

Reyn's raw strength never ceased to amaze Shulk. After getting lifted out of the bathtub, the blond sat down on its edge, lazily drying off his body with the towel Reyn had given to him. His lover was using a second towel to dry his hair.

"Should I stay with ya?" Reyn asked, and Shulk's tired brain needed a moment to catch up with the question.

"Oh, no, don't worry about me," he replied honestly. "Go check out that night market you're interested in. I'll just sleep now anyway."

"Okay," Reyn said before he wrapped Shulk up in a fluffy bathrobe, carrying him over to one of the beds. This time, Shulk wasn't even embarrassed anymore as he got hold up by strong arms. "But you've gotta promise: No overthinking. An' no nightmares!"

A chuckle left Shulk's lips. "That sounds good. Promise."

His lover placed a quick kiss on Shulk's forehead before he dried off his arms and upper body, putting his shirt back on, ready to get out and meet the others.

"Reyn?" Shulk called out as Reyn was putting on his shoes next to the door.

"Yeah?"

Suddenly feeling shy again, Shulk pulled the blanket up to cover his red cheeks, his voice muffled beneath the blanket. "Come sleep in this bed later as well?"

"Of course, man," Reyn answered with a laugh. "Promised. Good night!"

"Good night," Shulk answered, a happy smile on his face, falling asleep as soon as his lover had closed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	5. Sweet yet frustrating naivety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Shulk, you sweet, naive littlepon (littlehoms? XD). Never change. 
> 
> May I say, that I love this chapter? Because I do.

Shulk awoke the next morning, as the sunlight was sneaking through a tiny gap between the drawn curtains.

He felt hot and heavy, unable to move. It took him a few seconds to fight off the last remnants of sleep and realize his current situation. Not only was he still snuggled up in the fluffy bathrobe and the soft sheets of the bed, but also his lover was lying on top of him. Reyn's large upper body was covering Shulk's completely, unintentionally pinning him down to the bed.

Only now did he notice the wet trail running down his neck, where his lover was drooling against him in his sleep. A little snort left Shulk's lips. It had been a while since Reyn had done that. It had happened more often when they were still kids.

The sunlight was shining unto Reyn's hair, causing it to glow in a mix of red and brown. With a smile on his face, Shulk stroked through the soft hair, careful not to wake his lover up.

Sometimes, Shulk still couldn't believe how much his life had changed recently. Last year, he never would have thought he would share a bed with Reyn in _this_ way.

Right on cue, he felt a familiar heat coming up in his lower regions. Lately, being close to Reyn always made him needy. A part of him wished he hadn't fallen asleep so fast yesterday or had at least woken up once Reyn had come back from the market. It would have been nice to spend the night together.

But it was probably better this way. Shulk's body had needed the rest.

Reyn mumbled something incomprehensible in his sleep, his hand moving up, carefully cupping Shulk's cheek with his large hand. The blond smiled. Even in his sleep, his lover was protecting him.

A knock at the door interrupted the peaceful moment. "Good morning, dear guests," a guard spoke loudly outside their door. "Breakfast is ready. Please get up soon, so you won't miss the Crown Princess's speech later."

"We'll be up soon, thank you," Shulk replied, and Reyn grumbled, cuddling closer to him.

"Reyn, wake up," the blond gently shook his lover's shoulder.

"Don't wanna," the other Homs mumbled, as he began peppering Shulk's neck with quick little pecks.

"Reyn," Shulk tried to reprimand his lover, but the chuckles that left his mouth conveyed his true feelings. "Your nose is tickling me."

An amused snort escaped his lover. " _That's_ no tickling."

Leaning upon his elbows, Reyn smirked down at Shulk. The moment the blond realized what his lover was scheming, it was already too late to escape.

Using his own weight, lying on Shulk's lower body, Reyn kept the blond trapped beneath him. A high-pitched scream left the smaller Homs as Reyn's hands sneaked under the bathrobe, mercilessly tickling both sides of Shulk's upper body.

"Wha!! Reyn, n-no!" Shulk was screaming, laughing, tossing left and right, but had no chance of escape. An evil grin was on his lover's face, enjoying to tease the other.

Knowing full well that his childhood friend wouldn't let go of him until Shulk was exhausted, the blond tried to fight back. But in their current position, there was no way he could reach Reyn's feet or the hollow of his knee, where he was the most ticklish. Instead, he let his hands sneak beneath Reyn's bathrobe, tracing the sides of his lover's upper body as well.

"Aaw, come on, Shulk. You've tried that all the time when we were kids. Ya know I'm not ticklish there," Reyn reminded him, his voice playfully disappointed.

Incited, the taller Homs sped up his tickling even more. Shulk felt tears coming to his eyes, as he couldn't stop laughing. Merely holding on to his lover's body as the waves of laughter made him shake, Shulk almost forgot his real objective.

Biting his bottom lip in concentration and in a desperate attempt to stop any more giggles from leaving his mouth, Shulk moved his hands from his lover's sides to his chest.

Taking all his courage, Shulk let his thumbs run circles over Reyn's chest twice before he closed in on the dark nubs, massaging them.

The action caused the desired reaction, as Reyn drew in a sharp breath, stopping his tickling assault to grasp what was happening.

Finally able to take a few quick breaths, Shulk calmed down a bit, a few last giggles tumbling over his lips as he felt a sudden hope of victory.

"Oooh, you're on! Two can play that game!" Reyn said with a predatory grin. Only now realizing that he had awoken a beast, Shulk yelped as his lover pinched his left nipple, while Reyn's right hand continued to tickle him.

A strange mix of arousal and laughter rushed through Shulk's body. Giggles turned into moans so loud the blond was getting embarrassed. Quickly letting go of his lover again, he pressed his hands over his mouth instead.

"Nuh-uh," Reyn denied with a smirk. Exhausted from all the tickling, the blond couldn't stop his lover, as Reyn easily grabbed Shulk's wrists, pinning his hands above his head.

A needy whine left Shulk, as Reyn kissed a trail down from his neck to his chest, hot tongue circling the sensitive bud. His lover's free hand was still on the side of his upper body, more caressing than tickling now, but that didn't stop a few laughs from tumbling free between Shulk's moans.

The never-ending teasing movements of Reyn's tongue were driving Shulk crazy, his hips twitching up, needy for more. Slowly his lover's hand traveled to his stomach, ever so slowly moving further down, to where Shulk felt his arousal stirring up.

"You _up_?" Dunban's voice, muffled by the door, suddenly asked.  
"No!" Shulk denied in panic, his voice way too high-pitched.  
" _Oh?_ " There it was again. This _knowing_ , teasing pitch in Dunban's voice. Shulk felt his body going rigid. Had they gotten exposed?  
" _Fuck off!_ " Reyn exclaimed, and Shulk's eyes widened in surprise.  
"Reyn!!"

Reyn was off of Shulk's body in one swift move, sitting on the edge of the bed instead, pressing his hands to his face to muffle a growl of frustration.

"Well, someone's cranky," Dunban noticed. "Didn't get enough sleep after going to the night market?"

"Why aren't you hung-over?" Reyn yelled towards the closed door.  
"Because my stamina knows no bounds."  
"Ya still drunk. Grab some breakfast!"  
"I will. See you there," the older Homs answered with a chuckle and left.

A deep frustrated sigh left Reyn, his shoulders slouched.

Shulk was still mortified. After Frontier Village, this had been the _second_ time that Dunban had interrupted them in the morning. Maybe it was their own fault for getting carried away at the wrong time.

"We should dress and go," Shulk mumbled, as always the voice of reason.

"Gimme a few secs to calm down," his lover mumbled, his face still hidden behind his hands.

As Shulk walked through the room, picking up his clothes, he sneaked a quick peek at his lover. The bulge beneath the white bathrobe a clear indication that Reyn's hot temper wasn't the only thing that needed to cool down.

The heat came back to Shulk's cheeks, but he slowly shook his head, averting his gaze. Now wasn't the time for that.

"How was the night market?" The blond asked as he couldn't stand the silence any longer. Another displeased growl went through his lover before he took a deep breath.

"The market was nice, the company was exhausting," his lover answered.

"Oh, why?"  
"These two drunkards spotted me after I'd finished strolling through the market alone. I wanted ta go to bed, but they urged me to sit down with 'em," Reyn explained with a sigh. "The little furball was throwing a tantrum, and Dunban's even more of a tease when he's drunk."

"I'm sorry. That doesn't sound like a pleasurable night," Shulk answered as he took off the bathrobe to put on his clothes instead.

As Reyn spotted his naked body, a faint blush came up to his cheeks, and he lay back down to the bed with a frustrated groan, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"S-sorry," Shulk mumbled and felt his own body heating up as well. How careless of him to undress when Reyn was trying to calm down. He had just acted naturally around his lover without thinking about the consequences of his actions.

"It wasn't all bad," Reyn suddenly mumbled.  
"Huh?" Shulk blinked in confusion, unsure if the other was talking about the glimpse he just caught or about last night.

"Riki needs a lot of attention when he's drunk, but he's funny as well," his lover elaborated. "I was just fucked up 'cause Dunban didn't stop teasing me. Furball didn't even notice it, but Dunban kept turning the conversation back to _Alvis_ all the time."

"What has Alvis to do with Dunban teasing _you_?" Shulk asked, furrowing his brows.

A sigh left the taller Homs. "He kept mentioning how _wise an' almighty_ Alvis is."  
"Well, he's not wrong about that," Shulk agreed.  
"And how he's also a _very skilled fighter_ ," Reyn continued, leaning upon his elbows to observe his lover.  
"True, his skills saved us at the Tomb," the blond confirmed while putting on his clothes.  
"And how well you two seers are _getting along_ ," the taller Homs added, his gaze darkening.  
"Mmh, we have a lot in common. That helps," the blond admitted, missing the way Reyn's eyebrow twitched.  
"... how he makes ya _smile_ all the time," Reyn retold, his voice stern.  
"Yeah," Shulk chuckled fondly at the memory. "That's a good thing, isn't it?"  
"... _eases_ your worries," the redhead added, sitting up.  
"That, too, yes," the blond nodded.  
"... is a _good-looking gentleman_ ," Reyn almost spit out the words.  
"Huh, he really is, isn't he?" Shulk admitted with a chuckle.

" _On Bionis' name!_ " Reyn groaned in frustration, throwing his hands up in horror. He fell back to the bed with such force that the mattress bounced beneath him. "I _knew_ it!!"

"What?" Shulk flinched at the sudden outburst, dropping his shirt he had just picked up from the floor. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"There, right there! I knew ya wouldn't even notice!" Reyn's voice was almost hysterical by now.  
"Notice _what_?" The blond was at a total loss to what was going on.  
Another drawn-out groan filled the room before his lover turned around on the bed and screamed into the pillow.  
"Reyn!"

"Nothin'" the taller Homs said with a huff, finally getting up from the bed.  
"But that's-"  
"Nope. Nothing," Reyn retorted, his voice, leaving no room for arguments. "You've got enough on your mind as it is."

"But-" Shulk tried again but got interrupted as his lover placed a quick kiss on his lips.  
"Let it go, please," he whispered, his thumb stroking Shulk's cheek.  
Their eyes locked for a few seconds, both determined, until Shulk gave in with a sigh. "Alright."

As Reyn finally smiled again, Shulk knew that had been the right decision.

Without further conversation, they finished dressing and grabbed their stuff. Shulk was still confused about their last talk, not knowing why Reyn apparently disliked Alvis. The seer was a very knowledgeable and helpful man. Surely, Dunban was sharing this view, yet Reyn was not. It bothered him that he didn't understand his lover's thoughts, but if Reyn didn't want to talk about it now, he wouldn't force him.

As they arrived at the Whitewing Palace, the banquet table was already set with an abundant assortment of food - more than they could eat. Riki was already stuffing fruit after fruit to his little mouth, and Shulk once again wondered how one little creature could eat so much.

He had been worried that the mood between Dunban and Reyn could be weird, but they were acting as if nothing had happened. During breakfast, Sharla told them that after going to bed early yesterday, she had checked out the market first thing this morning. She had even bought a new perfume made from flowers and fruits home to this region.

Thanks to these casual topics, breakfast went by without any incidents, and Shulk was slowly forgetting about Reyn's behavior this morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, Reyn!
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	6. Weak and pathetic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Retelling the events of Prison Island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like this chapter, it's too dark.  
> Which is good since it's supposed to be dark.  
> But still. Meh.  
> Look forward to chapters 7 and 8!

When the group had finished their breakfast, it was time for Melia's speech. They went outside to the forecourt of the imperial palace, where the citizens of Alcamoth had gathered.

Like always, Melia was wearing her mask in public. Since she had passed the trial at the Tomb, she was finally officially announced as the crown princess, the next ruler after Emperor Sorean Antiqua.

After yesterday's assassination attempt on her, Shulk was a bit worried about her safety. After all, she was standing there in broad daylight for everyone to see. If anyone wanted to kill her before she was chosen as crown princess, now was their last chance.

Fortunately, nothing happened during the ceremony. As far as Shulk could see, everyone was cheering for their future ruler, fireworks in the sky.

Afterwards, Shulk wanted to check out the market Sharla had excitedly told them about this morning, but it had already closed again.  
With nothing else to do but await the Emperor's decision about Prison Island, everyone went back to the Whitewing Palace.

Yet being there without anything to do either, was making them all restless. Even Reyn was getting impatient, losing his usual optimism. Although Shulk wasn't sure if it was because they were kind of stuck here or if it had anything to do with what had happened this morning.

Using their free time as best as possible, they decided to pay a visit to Melia at the Imperial Villa. It was a beautiful place, like her own small house inside the imperial palace. A large garden, decorated with all kinds of flowers, was surrounding the building.

Happy to see them, Melia was finally opening up to them, telling them about her late mother and her life as a princess of the High Entia even though she was half Homs. Just as Shulk had feared, Melia was wearing her disguise in public to mask the fact that she was half Homs. Reyn immediately declared that he didn't see any problem with that, saying that no matter how Melia looked, she was still Melia. Shulk's heart warmed. The world would be a better place if everyone was as tolerant as Reyn.

Melia promised them a banquet, and while Reyn was looking forward to it, Sharla and Dunban were teasing him. Both were convinced that his lover would embarrass them somehow at an official fancy dinner.

Shulk laughed. Unbeknownst to him, that was his last laugh before everything went down the drain.

Suddenly, everything was happening too fast yet not fast enough.

It had started with another vision about Prison Island. Nothing unusual at first, but this time he was seeing it more precisely than before. This time, he saw the Emperor _dying_.

Even before he could warn his comrades, a siren was ringing, and Shulk felt his blood running cold. An alarm. The Mechon were attacking the city.

It felt like he was back to that fateful day in Colony 9. The sudden attack. The panic. The helplessness.

Even though they rushed to the Audience Chamber, it was too late. The Emperor had already left, clearly aware of what danger was awaiting him. When Alvis showed up, telling them he had shared his vision with the ruler of the High Entia, Shulk was taken aback. Why didn't anyone stop him if they knew what was going to happen? Why did they agree to the Emperor accepting his fate and _dying_? This couldn't be right. It was never right to sacrifice a life.

Fortunately, Dunban quickly talked some sense into everyone, and they departed to Prison Island.

The path to the island was tedious. Intending to go alone, the Emperor had sealed the entrance once again. And it wasn't only one but two seals.

Losing their sense of time, Shulk and the others unlocked the seals and fought off the ancient creatures guarding the island. The heavy thunderstorm that was raging above was covering Eryth Sea into darkness.

It might have been nighttime already, and everyone was exhausted from many fights, but that didn't stop them. They couldn't spare a single second. The Emperor's life was on the line.

Once they've finally reached Prison Island, Shulk's mood only darkened. Thick chains were surrounding the island, build from cold, black rocks. Ominous blue flames were burning all around, glowing despite the heavy rain pattering down on them. On any other day, Shulk would have been fascinated by that, eager to analyze the mysterious blue flames. But now, they were only frightening him.

Another vision hit Shulk, just as they opened the last sealed door of Prison Island. Reyn noticed his hesitation, reminding him to hurry up and to stop overthinking. It was the complete opposite from the Tomb, where Reyn had started unnecessary discussions about pushing a button, and Shulk had urged them on to go. The blond appreciated that his friend was focused on hurrying this time.

Still, his new vision made him hesitate for a short moment. It hadn't been like the previous one. It wasn't focused on the Emperor anymore, but on some kind of giant, talking about releasing shackles.

Was that a good sign? Did that mean that the Emperor wasn't in danger anymore now that they had hurried here? Shulk didn't know for sure, but the others were right: They had to hurry.

Shulk knew they had reached their destination as soon as they stepped out of the building to a large open space.

The storm was still raging on. The cold rain was seeping through their already drenched clothes, the unruly wind freezing.

A tiny shimmer of hope and relief let Shulk relax for a mere second, as they found the Emperor _alive_. However, his eyes immediately fell to the giant that had been locked away on Prison Island: Zanza. Trapped there since ancient times, the giant had awaited Shulk's arrival. He told them about the power of the Monado, how omnipotent its wielder could be if they only released its shackles. Their forefathers had locked Zanza and the Monado away, fearing that power might fall into the wrong hands.

Shulk wasn't as naive to believe the words of someone who'd once been deemed powerful or dangerous enough to get locked away. Yet the giant's words matched Alvis's explanation from the other day. So they had to be true.

Melia was skeptical when Zanza offered to release the Monado's shackles, but Shulk was not. The crown princess hadn't been with them when Alvis had told them about the Monado. And either way, he needed to unlock the sword's hidden powers if he wanted to stand a chance against any faced Mechon.

At least Reyn got his back. That was enough for Shulk, even if Melia didn't understand. The whole reason they were out here, up to the Bionis's neck, was to fight against the Mechon and get revenge for all the people of the colonies. And if they needed to release an ancient power to stand a chance against their enemy, so be it. Shulk wouldn't back down. He had come too far.

Besides, he knew from his vision that the faced Mechon would show up, killing the Emperor. Remembering his nightmare, Metal Face might not even end his killing spree after taking down the Emperor. A cold shudder went down Shulk's back that had nothing to do with the freezing wind whipping against his wet clothes. He had seen his friends dying inside his dream. Had seen Reyn getting pierced up by metal claws.

He wouldn't let that happen. Nothing of that. Neither the vision nor the nightmare. Not if he could acquire the power to change the future, the ability to save _everyone_.

Freeing Zanza was an easy task for the heir of the Monado. Yet, just as the giant was releasing the shackles, he got pierced by a giant spear.

This couldn't be happening.  
They had been hurrying over here with all their might, and now they were mere seconds too late?  
It couldn't be.  
It couldn't.

To make it worse, another faced Mechon showed up. Shulk was feeling sick. Where had they gone wrong? When had they hesitated too much? Where had they lost these few precious seconds?

But it was too late for regrets. He could only act now. Putting all of his anger into his sword, he attacked the new silver-faced machine. The Mechon would pay, all of them.

Just like last time, the damage the Monado dealt to a faced Mechon was next to nothing. Frustration was making Shulk heedless, and suddenly Metal Face was shoving him back with his claws. The very claws that had pierced Fiora back then in Colony 9. The same claws that had pierced Reyn in his nightmare.

"Weak. Weak and pathetic," Metal Face taunted. "Stupid bug."

Still recovering from the blow he had taken, Shulk had to watch his friends getting hit as well. It was just like it had been in his nightmare, and just like Metal Face had said. He _was_ weak and pathetic. With his current level of ability and power, he didn't stand a chance against the faced Mechon. He was bound to watch his friends going down one by one. Even though he had struggled so hard to get here on time, following his vision.

Releasing a giant wave of Ether, the Emperor managed to land a decent hit against Metal Face. Still trapped in his dark thoughts, Shulk realized too late that _this_ was the catalyst to the moment he had feared.

Metal Face stabbed the Emperor. His claws red with blood, just like they had been back then at Colony 9. Shulk hadn't been on time. He had messed up once again, hadn't saved anyone.

Suddenly, Zanza, still transfixed by the giant spear, was speaking to him, using his final words and power to help him unlock the Monado's secret power.

A tiny shimmer of hope was coming back to Shulk. He might have failed to avoid the bloodiness from his vision, but he wouldn't let his nightmare come true as well. With the new power of his sword, he would bend the future to his own will.

"You will know the pain and suffering you caused the Emperor and Fiora!" Shulk shouted after cutting off Metal Face's arm with one well-aimed hit. Yet as he tried to deal the final blow, the silver-faced Mechon jumped between them, blocking the attack for Metal Face.

Zanza and the silver-faced Mechon were talking as if they knew each other, but Shulk didn't register a single word of their conversation as his eyes fell to the now opened cockpit of the silver-faced Mechon.

There was a Homs inside.  
There was Fiora.

Shulk didn't believe his eyes. Was it another dream? How could Fiora be there, inside a Mechon, when she had been killed by one? Why was there even a Homs inside a Mechon?

His mind was racing. Too much was happening at once. Not knowing what to believe anymore, Shulk stared at Fiora until the Mechon, all of them, suddenly departed. Awoken from his trance, Shulk ran after the silver-faced Mechon together with Dunban and Reyn, calling out for her.

But it was too late. She was gone, as he had lost sight of her once again.

_If_ it had truly been Fiora. After all, she hadn't recognized any of them.

But he had plenty of time to think about that later. For now, he was listening to the Emperor's last words. Seeing Melia cry was wrecking Shulk's heart. The regret still ate him up from the inside. He had seen this happening in a vision, yet he couldn't avert it. He had failed. If only he had blocked the killing blow somehow. If only he hadn't spent so much time talking to Zanza before releasing him. If only he had urged the Emperor to give them imperial sanction to enter Prison Island sooner.

Then he could have avoided the worst.

But it was too late. _He_ had been too late. Why? Reaching Prison Island had been his goal for weeks. When had he gone wrong? Had it been wrong to spend so much time with Reyn? Should he have focused only on his revenge? Should he have taken his distance from Reyn? Should they have come to Prison Island as soon as possible, even without imperial sanction, even while the island was still sealed?

Shulk shook his head in frustration. Nothing of that would have helped him to stop the battle between Metal Face and the Emperor.

The only thing he could do now was getting back on the right track. This time, he might not have gotten his revenge. But there was always a next time, and he wouldn't mess up again. He would get his revenge. And Melia would get her's as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	7. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shulk talks to Dunban.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The talk between Dunban and Shulk is quoted from the game!
> 
> This talk together with the [talk between Reyn and Shulk at the waterfalls](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24945943/chapters/60379504) were the scenes that got me thinking about writing Xeno fanfics for the first time! Obviously, I really looked forward to including this chapter ♥

At one point, Shulk's feelings had been in turmoil, and then, he had suddenly felt nothing at all anymore. It was like his mind had been separated from his body, merely watching how he walked around like an empty shell. 

The group had left Prison Island, carrying the dead body of Emporer Sorean Antiqua with them, his corpse a constant reminder of their failure. The thunderstorm still hadn't quieted down, but by now, it didn't make any difference. Soaked to the skin for hours, the blond didn't even feel the cold anymore, felt _nothing_ anymore. 

Shulk didn't know how his companions were holding up, but they were just as quiet as him. Even Riki wasn't talking for once, and the blond didn't know if he was grateful for it or not. 

When they arrived at the capital, they were escorted to the palace by some guards. The ghost-white face of Kallian as his gaze fell upon his late father made Shulk's stomach clench. 

He could have avoided that fate if only he had been faster.

Since they all were beside themselves with grief and regret, the staff of the palace took care of them. Shulk still felt like he was in a trance as someone treated his wounds, put him out of his cold, wet clothes, and into new ones. They weren't even his own clothes but some traditional Eryth Sea outfits, but he didn't care. Absent-minded, he noticed the soft leggings and a wide, fluffy upper garment warming up his cold body.

Melia was attending a meeting at the throne room while the others were treated to dinner at the Whitewing Palace. Or maybe it was breakfast? Or lunch? Shulk had lost all sense of time. He marveled at Melia's strength. The girl had suddenly lost her father with barely enough time to grieve, but she was already back to discussing politics and the future.

The meal was bound to be delicious as everything they had been served at the palace over the time of the last few days, but Shulk wasn't feeling hungry. As he forced down some food anyway, hoping it would fill the painful void he felt inside, he didn't taste anything. 

Knowing his body needed some nutrition to function, he kept gulping down food until he felt sick. Maybe he had been overdoing it, but he hadn't even kept track of much he'd been eating. 

In frustration, he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache when he realized that he couldn't even take proper care of himself anymore. What was he good for anyway lately? He had messed up saving the Emperor as well. 

His negative train of thought got interrupted as he noticed his companions talking with each other.

"Dunban's locked himself away ever since we came back," Sharla mentioned, her voice full of worry. For the first time since arriving back, the blond took a look around. Their medic had been right: Dunban wasn't here. Shulk hadn't even noticed. Instead, Melia was back with them, asking about Fiora. 

On autopilot, Shulk told her about his childhood friend. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Reyn turning his gaze down, but he didn't dare to turn around facing his lover. "She didn't even recognize us," the redhead said, sounding so broken and desperate that Shulk's heart clenched. "She's not the Fiora, I remember."

Somehow, he was feeling guilty about everything that had happened, was angry at himself. With that state of mind, he just couldn't face Reyn. 

But that was alright. Now wasn't the time to face his lover anyway. Shulk had messed up so much lately, making mistakes because he had been too slow or too distracted by his feelings. 

While he did regret many things, he knew he couldn't change the past. Yet he could change the future if he acted accordingly in the present. And _now_ , there was only one right thing to do.  
"It looked a lot like Fiora. But if it was her," he took a deep breath as he walked by his companions, without even sparing them a second glance, "then I can't imagine how Dunban feels."

Leaving the Whitewing Palace without looking back, Shulk walked to their guest rooms. He might be confused and hurt, and full of regret, but Dunban probably felt even worse.

Lately, Shulk had avoided being alone with Dunban, especially after their conversation on the first morning they'd spent at Lateal Coast. He was afraid that the older Homs could read his face, revealing his most intimate secrets. 

But his fears and worries didn't matter now. Dunban had always been one of his best friends, almost like an older brother. And if the older Homs needed him now, Shulk would be there for him.

His thoughts were running in circles, wondering what he should even tell him. The person they had seen inside the silver-faced Mechon had looked a lot like Fiora, but she hadn't replied to them. Could it really have been her? Dunban would probably know better. She was his sister, after all. 

When he didn't find the Hero of the Homs at his guest room, Shulk left the palace in search of him. After a while, he found Dunban standing at the railing of the upper area of Alcamoth. He was looking down at the city below. 

Outside, the thunderstorm was still raging on. The darkness of the night was getting illuminated by lightning from time to time. But here, beneath the dome, they were sheltered from the wet rain and cold wind. Ether Lamps were glowing, not as bright as daylight, but enough to chase away the shadows of the night.

"I've been looking for you," the blond mentioned as he approached his friend, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. "So, this is where you were."

"Shulk?" Dunban turned around, eyes wide with surprise as he got pulled out of his thoughts. "Apologies. Was everyone worried?"

"Of course. Me especially," the younger Homs admitted as he came to a halt next to his friend, looking down at the city below. Since it was nighttime, only a few High Entia were still up and about. To the east, a Nopon was jumping up and down at the edge of a fountain. Agitatedly, he flapped his wings as he was talking to a tall a High Entia woman. Sometimes, it was strange how time continued to flow without any disturbance, no matter what had happened.

Dunban had turned around to face him, waiting for him to speak up, but Shulk had troubles to find the right words. He had come here to support Dunban, but his thoughts were still a mess.   
"It's just... I've been thinking about Fiora, and I can't help wondering..."

"Wondering what?" the older Homs questioned, his voice way calmer and more collected than Shulk had expected.

"You saw how Fiora acted. It was like she didn't even recognize us," the blond admitted with a sigh. No point in trying to cheer up Dunban when he wasn't even sure they were on the same page yet. Had this woman really been Fiora? 

She had looked like her. It felt like it had been her. But Shulk couldn't be sure until he heard Dunban's opinion of it. He trusted the older Homs' judgment in this.

"Yes. It's unsettling," the Hero of the Homs admitted, turning around, averting his gaze. The blond took in a deep breath, almost regretting that he had approached the topic. It hadn't been his intention to unsettle his friend but to comfort him.

"But Shulk, don't get me wrong. I'm not sad," Dunban stated, and his firm, unwavering voice, told Shulk that it was true. "Even if she doesn't recognize me. I'm glad to know she's alive."

"Dunban," he whispered, his voice broken, feeling his eyes tearing up. Shulk bit his bottom lip. The other man might very well be the most amazing Homs he knew. The blond admired how Dunban always kept a calm mind. Unlike Shulk himself, who threatened to get lost in his thoughts. Furthermore, the older Homs could see the bright side of everything - almost like Reyn but in a more mature kind of way.

It was just like back on the day when Shulk and Reyn had left Colony 9. The blond had visited Dunban, planning to cheer him up, but instead, the older one had consoled him.

"You see, Fiora was born many years after me," Dunban started to narrate, gazing far into the distance. "And not long afterwards, we lost our father to a Mechon," he said, walking a few steps, taking a deep breath before facing Shulk again. "It was left to me to protect and raise her. Almost like a father."

"I was always jealous that she had you as her brother," Shulk admitted honestly, a sad smile on his face. He had never been alone at Colony 9. There had been so many people who had looked after him and talked to him. 

Close friends like Dunban, Fiora, and Reyn. Fellow adventures and researchers like Dickson, Erik, and Mefimefi. Acquaintances like Désirée and Narine, some members of the Defence Force, and the merchants at the market stalls he frequented.

But none of them were his _family_.

"Ah, yes. You and Fiora used to be-" the sudden pause was heavy with meaning "- _inseparable_."

"Yeah," the blond admitted with a nod, almost losing his voice, as he felt a lump in his throat. 

"I need to tell you something," Dunban announced, stepping closer to Shulk. The older Homs was looking up to the sky, taking a few deep breaths while Shulk was getting more and more nervous. 

When Dunban turned around to meet his gaze, the younger Homs almost wanted to run away and hide. 

"I always thought," Dunban mentioned slowly, observing Shulk's every reaction, "if Fiora were to be with anyone, it should be you."

"W-What?" Shulk stuttered, his eyes widening in shock, heart rate speeding up, palms getting sweaty. 

It shouldn't come as a surprise. Back at Colony 9, many residents had thought and talked that way about him and Fiora. He knew it was nothing but harmless gossip of people who liked to speculate about other people's love lives and to tease some youngsters. Yet Dunban had heard these rumors as well, often even went along with the teasing, earning him some harsh gazes from his younger sister.

However, until now, Shulk had never realized how Dunban had felt about all that behind his teasing facade. It had never been easy for him to read the older Homs' thoughts and intentions. 

This conversation was the perfect opportunity to come clean with Dunban once and for all. It was time to tell him about his relationship with _Reyn_.

Yet Shulk was a coward and couldn't take enough courage.

"But Reyn hangs out with her just as much as me," he blurted out, a desperate attempt to shift the focus of their conversation. After all, it was true. The three of them had grown up together as close friends.

At least, until some weeks ago when Shulk had realized that this friendship between him and Reyn had evolved into something more.

"Yeah, he does," Dunban confirmed, his hand covering his mouth as if he tried to stop himself from saying something. The older Homs looked deep in thought, obviously not content with Shulk's answer. "But Fiora doesn't like him in _that_ way," Dunban carefully explained.

"Oh," Shulk responded without thinking before he slowly added, "I see."

"He's a nice guy," Dunban admits. "Reminds me of myself when I was his age, all reckless and hot-headed." 

Shulk took in a deep breath. He had no idea that Dunban had been like that in the past. Despite the seriousness of the situation, his imagination was running wild. He was trying to picture an older version of Reyn that was still happy, bright, courageous, and wild yet paired with enough mature calmness and the patience to assess a situation before acting on impulse. Shulk had no idea why that thought was so hot.

"Probably why he's not right for her. Listen, Shulk," Dunban continued, putting the younger Homs' focus back to reality.

"Yes," the blond answered on reflex as he heard his name, blinking to get these thoughts out of his mind.

"A lost life can never be returned," Dunban explained, confusing Shulk as the topic suddenly shifted back to Fiora. "But she's alive. It doesn't matter that she's lost her memory."

"Yeah... I guess you're right," the blond confirmed, even though he needed more time to think this through. There were just too many uncertainties. They couldn't know how or when they would meet her again and if they could restore her memories. 

"Fiora and I have spent our entire life together. The memory of that can't have disappeared completely," the older brother stated truthfully. "It's up to us. We have to help her remember. Help me, Shulk. Help me get her back!"

Shulk took a deep breath. It wasn't often that Dunban sincerely asked something of him, but the blond wouldn't ever let him down. 

"You know I will," he promised.

"OK. Let's go tell the others," Dunban turned around immediately, leaving for the palace. 

Closing his eyes, Shulk took a few deep breaths. He was aware that this conversation hadn't been their best. First, he had once again let Dunban reassure _him_ about Fiora instead of reassuring him that everything would be alright. Second, he had avoided the topic of his relationship with Reyn once more. Even though he _knew_ that Dunban was suspicious about them.

But when the older Homs had admitted that he had always seen him getting together with _Fiora_ one day, he just didn't have it in him to crush this dream. Especially not now after learning that she was still alive. Even if she had lost her memories, she was Dunban's sister and Shulk's friend. That would never change. 

As they walked back to the palace, the younger Homs was wondering why Dunban had confessed this to him just now. Could it be that he still expected Shulk to get together with Fiora one day, even if she had lost her memories? 

He bit his lip. His feelings for Reyn were making everything even more complicated than it already was. 

After reaching the Whitewing Palace, and shortly reassuring their friends that they were alright, the group was summoned to the throne room. Once they arrived, Kallian apologized that his people hadn't helped when the Mechon had attacked the colonies. As if to make up his past mistake, the current regent -before Melia would take his place in one year- suggested an allied army, asking the group to act as ambassadors.

Shulk's mind was racing.

Some days ago, he would have been happy about such a proposition, agreeing without any hesitation, but now was different. When he averted his gaze, as if he could avoid deciding simply by looking away, he felt Reyn's eyes on him.

"I need time before I make a decision," he admitted, hoping it wasn't too impolite in front of his Highness. Without awaiting Kallian's response, he left.

His friends had followed him back to the Whitewing Palace, and he knew he couldn't escape their incoming interrogation. 

"That wasn't like you, Shulk," Sharla confronted him first.   
"I'm sorry," he apologized, aware of his lover standing right next to them, arms crossed.  
"You know you can talk to me," she emphasized, and the blond bit his bottom lip.

"It's Fiora. That's why you're hesitating," Reyn suddenly stated, his voice cold and judgmental.   
"Yeah," the blond admitted subdued.  
"Knew it! You wouldn't think twice otherwise," Reyn almost spit out his words, averting his gaze. Shulk knew him well enough to notice he was fuming with anger, yet he didn't know _why_. Could it be that Reyn remembered all these rumors about Shulk and Fiora as well? Could he think he would choose Fiora over Reyn? But Shulk would never do that.

Suddenly, he remembered his talk with Dunban, the older Homs' confessions, that he had always seen Fiora by _his_ side. Dunban would probably be disappointed if Shulk chose Reyn instead. 

"I just don't know," Shulk uttered in frustration, his head hurting, his thoughts running wild, desperately searching for the best solution. There had to be a way that made everyone happy.

The silence that stretched out between him and Reyn hurt his heart.

Melia came up to them, urging Shulk to find his _loved one_. He didn't know if she had the wrong idea about him and Fiora as well. She was one of his best friends, almost like a sister, clearly one of his loved ones - but not his _lover_.

Yet it felt like fate wanted him to be. It seemed like the most rational decision.

Besides, no matter their relationship, he had promised Dunban to get her back. The older Homs had done so much for him that it was high time to do him a favor - even if Dunban suddenly suggested taking on the burden alone.

Shulk had messed up enough lately. He had failed to avoid the disasters shown to him in his visions, had been distracted and unreliable. This time, he would do what was right, what he had promised one of his dearest friends.

"Leave the ambassador stuff to me, Shulk," Reyn suddenly suggested, and Shulk stared at him in shock. "I'll probably make a mess of it, but we're a team. You can count on me."

_No_.

Suddenly, Shulk got hit by the reality of it all, emotions overflowing every sense of rationality. He did trust Reyn, and he knew that it would be the best for the colonies if at least one of them acted as an ambassador. They had to join forces with the High Entia if they wanted to avoid another tragedy like the attacks on Colony 6 and Colony 9.

Shulk wanted to unite the people, but he didn't want to be separated from Reyn.  
He wanted Fiora back, but he didn't want to lose Reyn.  
He wanted to make everyone happy, but he didn't want to make Reyn sad.

He wanted to be with his lover, even if it was a selfish wish.

As Melia volunteered to take over the role of the ambassador, Shulk let out a relieved breath. Parting ways with her would be a great loss -after all, they had become friends during their short time traveling together- but the blond was merely relieved that he wouldn't have to get separated from Reyn. 

They all thanked her before they decided to spend the night at their guest rooms. Chasing after Fiora was important, but they all needed rest after the events of Prison Island.

And Shulk needed time to sort out his thoughts and feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


	8. Inseparable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter you've all been waiting for!

Shulk's thoughts were running wild as he walked back to the guest rooms. Reyn and the others were following him silently, but the atmosphere was tense. 

He had a headache.  
Not only because he had missed out on so much sleep that he had lost all sense of time. But also because too much had been happening at once.

Following his visions and focusing on his task to get revenge had appeared to be the best option. Yet it had not led to happiness. The Emperor had died anyway. Metal Face had gotten away again, their fight nothing more than child's play for the Mechon. Shulk balled his fists in anger as he remembered how powerless he had felt during this battle. 

And as if that hadn't been enough, there was now this ever-present thought about Fiora. Of course, Shulk was happy she was alive. Even if she might have lost her memories. But what would they do if she suddenly turned as violent as Metal Face was? Would they have to fight her as well? Shulk didn't want that. He could never raise his weapon against her.

Even if he had promised Dunban to take her back, he had no idea _how_ he should do that. Furthermore, he had denied Kallian's offer to be an ambassador for the allied forces, although that would have been a great honor. Even if his revenge was focused on Metal Face, he had sworn to get revenge against _all_ Mechon. Joining forces with the High Entia would have been a step in the right direction, but once again, he had put his personal needs -saving a single Homs- before everything else. But could he be blamed for that? 

And worst of all, he had almost been separated from Reyn. Somehow, that made him angry.

"Why did you volunteer to be the ambassador?" he asked his lover without even looking at him, once they had entered their room and closed the door behind them.

"Huh?" Reyn sounded taken aback by this sudden question. "Well, someone had to do it, and you obviously preferred to go after Fiora."

"Do you even realize what that means?" Shulk turned around to face his lover with a stern gaze, arms crossed.

"Um," the redhead scratched the back of his neck, his eyes darting left and right, unsure.

Shulk sighed. "We would have been _separated_. Do you want that?"

"What? No, of course, I don't _want_ that, but-" he stopped mid-sentence.

"But what?"

"I don't know, man," the taller Homs sighed. "It's just, ya know, Fiora is out there and-" Reyn stopped again, his eyes widening in shock.

Shulk only now noticed the wetness on his own cheeks. 

"Shulk?" his lover asked, worriedly reaching out for him, but stopping before his hand touched him.

"Sorry, I," the blond stuttered, not knowing what to say. He hadn't even realized he had started to cry. "It's too much," he whispered, voice broken.

"I know, I know," Reyn repeated softly, not moving at all.

Shulk's world was spinning. Why wasn't Reyn touching him? Had he messed up his relationship with his lover as well? More tears were welling up inside his eyes before rolling down his cheeks.

"Reyn!" the blond exclaimed, voice broken, hoping his gaze would convey his feelings. He felt his legs giving in beneath him, but before his knees could hit the hard floor, he got pushed against Reyn's chest by strong arms.

Immediately he slung his arms around his lover, desperately holding unto this familiar warmth.

Carefully, Reyn had maneuvered them to sit on one of the beds. They were still embracing each other while Shulk sobbed into his lover's shirt.

Reyn's strong hand was stroking Shulk's back, and he placed soft kisses on blond hair.

Relaxing more and more into his lover's touch, Shulk took some deep breaths. "Why were you so distant?" he mumbled against his lover's chest.

"Sorry, man," Reyn apologized and placed another kiss on Shulk's head. "It was a bit too much for me as well."

"Hm?" Shulk leaned back a bit to look at his lover's face, his hands resting on Reyn's shoulders.

"Ah, well, ya know," Reyn's eyes darted around nervously before he took a deep breath and faced his lover. "I almost didn't recognize ya anymore on Prison Island."

The blond blinked in confusion.

"You've been so angry, blinded by revenge, almost _irrational_. That's not like you at all," his lover explained.

"Oh," Shulk mumbled as realization set in.

"And then you'd been awfully quiet, ignoring me completely on our way back and during dinner and then," Reyn paused to sigh.

"Then?" the blond prompted even though he probably wouldn't like the answer.

"Then it was like your whole focus had shifted to Fiora. So, I thought it would be right to do anything that would let you pursue your goals. Pursue _her_."

"Reyn," Shulk took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Yeah?" his lover sounded almost timid, and _that_ hurt Shulk more than anything that had happened these last days.

Opening his eyes again, Shulk looked at his lover. "I _promised_ Dunban to go after Fiora." 

Reyn bit his lip.

"And I have no idea how to find her, how to restore her memories, or what will happen afterwards. Everything inside my head is a mess," Shulk huffed in frustration.

"But," the blond took a deep breath, looking determined as he spoke, "no matter how turbulent my thoughts are, the feelings in my heart are unmistakable. I _love_ you, and I wanna be _with you_."

To emphasize his statement, he grabbed Reyn's face with both hands and placed a kiss on his lips. Surprised at first, the redhead gave in, opening his lips, their tongues eagerly meeting.

It had been way too long since they had shared a kiss.

As they separated again, Reyn's cheeks were a bit darker than usual, and a happy smile was on his face. "Love ya as well, Shulk," the redhead replied before he rested his forehead on Shulk's shoulder, loosely embracing the other.

Being close to his lover felt good. Softly, Shulk let his fingers play with the tips of hair at Reyn's neck.

Unfortunately, crying had only made his headache worse, and he couldn't relax completely.

"Yer tense," Reyn mumbled, leaning back to check his lover's face for any signs.

"Just a headache," the blond admitted with a soft smile, but his lover was already cupping his face with his huge hands. Strong fingers started to press against his temples, massaging with just the right pressure. 

"You don't have to-" Shulk protested weakly, but Reyn interrupted him at once.  
"I want to."

Giving in to the pleasant feeling, Shulk slowly closed his eyes, his hands resting on his lover's hips. 

While doing his best to quietly enjoy the head massage, he just couldn't stop his thoughts from running wild again. No matter how much he pondered, he didn't realize why he had failed to save the Emperor. He had seen the vision and departed for Prison Island at once. They had traveled there without any sleep or rest, pressing onwards as fast as possible. But they had still been too late. It was frustrating. 

"What's on yer mind?" Reyn whispered without stopping the movement of his hands.  
"Too much," Shulk admitted with a huff.  
"Tell me about it," his lover prompted softly.  
"I wouldn't even know where to start."  
"Anywhere," Reyn offered softly, and Shulk smiled. His strong lover had the softest heart. 

"I failed to save the Emperor," the blond whispered.  
" _We_ failed ta save him," the redhead corrected, and Shulk snorted. Of course, his lover wouldn't let him take the blame alone.

"But I had these visions," he elaborated, "I knew this would happen, but couldn't stop it anyway."  
"And you've immediately told us about these visions," Reyn reminded him. "We all knew it would happen. He knew it himself but went to Prison Island anyway. His resolve was strong, Shulk. We've done everything we could."   
"Maybe you're right," Shulk mumbled and was slowly starting to believe it.

"Turn around," Reyn whispered after a while, and Shulk opened his eyes in confusion. "Yer neck and shoulders are probably stiff as well."

As told, the blond turned around, his back towards his lover now. At once, he felt Reyn's strong, warm hands massaging his shoulders, thumbs traveling up and down his neck. A delightful sigh left him. He hadn't realized how tense he was.

While his body slowly started to relax, his mind wandered back to his conversation with Dunban. "I thought, Dunban might have needed some cheering up," the blond quietly told his lover, "but in the end, _he_ consoled _me_ \- once again."

"Oh man, that's Dunban for ya. He's the strongest man I know. I wish I could be as strong and reliable as him one day," Reyn admitted in awe.

Shulk snickered.  
"Hey! What's so funny, man?" the redhead asked, playfully shaking his friend's shoulders.  
"Nothing, sorry!" Shulk chuckled again, and Reyn continued to massage his neck and shoulders. "He mentioned that he used to be like you when he was younger."

"No way!"  
"It's hard to imagine, yeah. He's always so calm and collected."  
"Oi! Ya saying I'm not?" Reyn asked with a huff, getting up on his knees, leaning a bit forward to stare down at his lover. Shulk looked up, their gazes met for a moment before they both started to laugh. 

"Yeah, yeah, man. We both know yer right. I'm too hot-headed and impulsive to be calm and collected," the redhead admitted.

"I like that about you," the blond confessed, but Reyn didn't believe it.  
"Yeah, no need to sugarcoat it," the taller Homs mumbled as his hands went back to work the knots out of Shulk's shoulders.  
"No, I mean it," the blond repeated. "It would be boring if you weren't hot-headed. I think we are complementing each other pretty well in that regard."

"Ya said something similar when we went to fetch these last Ether Cylinders," Reyn mentioned fondly.  
"Ah," Shulk blushed as he remembered that conversation, "when we talked about Paola wanting to marry you."

"Yeah, no," Reyn snorted, "ain't happening."  
"Hopefully not," Shulk mentioned, and he felt Reyn grinning without even seeing his face.  
"Aaaw, ya jealous?"  
"Maybe," the blond admitted.  
"I'm glad you are."

The conversation quieted down for now, and Shulk became more and more aware of Reyn touching him. The taller Homs was only diligently massaging his shoulders, still clad in the High Entian upper garment, and his neck, but Shulk's thoughts were slowly drifting into a less innocent direction.

"Want me ta massage yer whole back?" Reyn asked, and Shulk flinched. "No pressure, man. Only if ya want."

"Oh, no, I mean, yes," Shulk responded, flustered, and Reyn snorted.  
"Yer cute," he said, placing a quick kiss to Shulk's neck. "Take off the shirt and lie on your stomach."

Shulk did as instructed and cursed his body for getting so excited about that. 

"I think there was some lotion," Reyn mumbled. Shulk felt the bed shifting as the redhead got up to fetch the bottle from the adjoined bathroom. 

The mattress dipped back down, as Reyn kneeled next to him again. The redhead squeezed a sufficient amount of lotion out of the bottle and warmed it in his hands before distributing it on Shulk's back.

Strong hands were working over his tense upper body, and Shulk felt a pleased moan tumble from his lips. Self-consciously, he flinched, a blush gracing his cheeks. 

"No need to hold back," Reyn mentioned as he leaned forward to rub Shulk's shoulders before his hands traveled down his body.

Shulk had his head turned to the right side, where he could see Reyn kneeling next to him. The tight traditional High Entian leggings they wore left no room for any imagination. The fabric was like a second skin to Reyn's thick thighs. With every movement of the taller Homs, Shulk could see these strong muscles working, reminding him of their make-out session at the Glowmoss Lake in the Ether Mine.

Feeling his blush deepening even more, Shulk closed his eyes. He was ashamed for getting distracted and turning this into something sexual. Although, maybe Reyn wouldn't even mind to-

"Anything else on yer mind?" the redhead suddenly asked, and Shulk felt caught.   
"No!" he exclaimed with a flinch.

"Shulk," Reyn sighed. "Stop keeping everything to yourself all the time."

"I'm not, I just," he turned his head to the left to avoid meeting his lover's gaze, "I just remembered our night at that lake."

Reyn's hands stopped only shortly before working even more diligently.  
"Oh?" The blond could hear his lover smirking. "Which part of that night?" Reyn whispered right next to his lover's ear, and a pleasant shudder went down Shulk's back.

"N-nothing in particular," the blond stuttered, "just, well, your thigh."

Humming in amusement, the taller Homs shifted his position to sit down on Shulk's legs, massaging his lover's lower back with strong hands.

Shulk took in a deep breath. In this position, it was like he was trapped by his lover's muscular thighs, feeling them left and right of him. 

His erection that had already stirred before was pressing against the bed beneath him now, and Shulk felt his thoughts running wild, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

Until he suddenly remembered Dunban's words, blurting them out without any second thought. "Dunban said he always regarded me as a suitable partner for Fiora."

Reyn's movements stopped at once, his hands leaving Shulk's back, and the blond opened his eyes in shock. 

"Fuck, sorry," Shulk exclaimed. He tried to lean up and turn around to face his lover, but suddenly Reyn was lying down on him. Trapped between the hot body of his lover and the bed, Shulk had nowhere to move.

"What did ya say to Dunban?" Reyn mumbled against Shulk's neck.  
"I kinda panicked and asked why me and not you," the blond admitted, and the taller Homs snorted in disbelief. "He just said that Fiora didn't like you in _that_ way, and then we kinda dropped the topic." 

A frown found its way to Shulk's face as he realized something. "Wait. Did he imply that she liked _me_ in that way? But that can't be."

"Why not?" Reyn whispered, his voice so soft Shulk had almost missed it.  
"I would have noticed if she had feelings for me," the blond responded matter-of-factly. 

In an instant, Reyn was laughing so hard his whole body was shaking on top of Shulk's.

"Hey!" the blond complained, trying to get up on reflex, but his lover's body weight was still pressing him down. "Why are you laughing?"  
" _You_ never realize it when someone has feelings for you. Or when you have a crush on someone," Reyn stated.  
"That's not true!" Shulk retorted, but his lover only snorted. "I, well, I realized my feelings for _you_!"

"Eventually, yeah," Reyn chuckled. "Guess I was lucky," he added, putting little kisses to his lover's neck.

Shulk shivered, moving his head to bare more of his neck for his lover. A shudder went through his body, and Shulk only now realized that in their current position, Reyn's manhood was pressing against his rear, only separated by these tight leggings.

Suddenly, he felt his cheeks getting hot again, his body flaring up everywhere his lover's broad frame was touching him - which was almost _everywhere_.

Experimentally, he bucked up his hips, his ass rubbing against his lover's growing erection, and Reyn moaned.

"Shulk?"  
"Yes," he answered the unspoken question lingering between them.   
"Turn around," Reyn instructed, leaning upon his elbows to give his lover enough space to move.

At once, Shulk obeyed, lying on his back now. When his lover leaned back down, their erections were pressing against each other. They both moaned into their open-mouthed kiss.

The room was filled with little suppressed moans, as they continued to kiss while grinding against each other. Enjoying his lover's weight on him, Shulk's thoughts finally calmed down, every fiber of his being focusing only on Reyn.

Until the redhead broke their kiss, leaning upon his elbows again. A displeased whine left Shulk, causing the taller Homs to chuckle and place a quick kiss to his left cheek.

"Gimme a sec'," his lover requested, getting up from the bed. At once, Shulk felt lonely and cold, even though the rational part of him knew that he was exaggerating.

It didn't take much time until Reyn got back, placing his small vial of lube on the bed along with a small box Shulk had never seen before. Curiously, he picked it up. As he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise, his cheeks flaring up. "You've brought condoms with you?"

"Actually, I bought them at the night market. Don't worry, Dunban and Riki didn't see a thing," the redhead added as he noticed the panic on his lover's face.

Without responding anything, Shulk took a wrapper out of the box, inspecting it with an interested gaze.  
"I thought we could, well," Reyn said quietly, nervously rubbing his neck, "if ya wanted to try what we talked about at Frontier Village."

"You mean, you," Shulk hesitantly pointed at his lover, next at the condom, then at himself, "me?"  
A quick snort left his lover. "Ya can take me instead if you prefer."

"What?" Shulk flinched in shock, the condom package dropping from his hand. "I'd freak out in embarrassment!"

Reyn laughed full-heartedly. "I bet ya would!"  
"Sorry," the blond mumbled, averting his gaze.  
"'s alright, man. We don't have ta do anythin'."  
"No," Shulk shook his head at once, looking back up into dark gray eyes. "I want to," he admitted shyly. "I mean, I want you to," he pointed at the condom, "you know."

"Alright," Reyn answered with a warm smile, leaning closer to place his lips on Shulk's. Before their kiss could get too heated, they separated again. The taller Homs took off his shirt with one practiced move, and the blond suddenly felt way too self-conscious.  
"Can we turn off the lights?"

"Everything for ya," Reyn responded while he got up, pressing the switch next to the door.

Shulk once again marveled at the movements of Reyn's muscular legs and his ass, clad in these tight dark green leggings. Maybe he was missing out on something as darkness engulfed the room, but he was too shy to be seen in broad light. At least for tonight.

Since the light of the moon was shining through the window, it wasn't completely dark, though. Once their eyes had gotten used to it, they could still see well enough. 

Despite it all, Shulk still averted his gaze in embarrassment as he noticed his lover taking off _all_ of his remaining clothes before sitting back down on the bed.

"Come here," Reyn whispered, cupping Shulk's cheeks with his big hands as their lips reunited once more. Getting lost in the kiss, the blond barely noticed how his lover's right hand slowly traveled down his body until his thumb dipped beneath the waistband of his leggings. 

Lifting his hips, Shulk somehow managed to wiggle out of his clothes without breaking their kiss. 

Reyn's hand rested on Shulk's hip for a while, and the blond dared to let his hands travel up and down his lover's strong back.

Soon, the blond softly got pushed down to the mattress, his ass propped up on the pillow his lover had grabbed.

Somehow, this position was awkward, and the color in Shulk's cheeks was rising again.   
"It's easier this way, trust me," his lover explained at once while reaching for the lube.  
"Oh, okay," the blond responded, his voice a bit rough.  
"Promise to tell me if yer uncomfortable or in pain in _any_ way, 'kay?"  
"I will," Shulk promised, his body heating up with love. He knew that Reyn would never do anything to hurt him.

Even though the redhead had rubbed the lube between his fingers to warm it up, the first touch still felt cold against the heated skin of Shulk's rear.

He flinched in surprise, but the thumb of his lover's other hand was soothingly drawing circles on his hipbone as a distraction.   
"Reyn," Shulk called out, reaching out for his lover, and the redhead immediately knew what to do. With a soft smile, he leaned down placing feather-light kisses on Shulk's stomach, his chest, his neck, until their lips finally met again. Eagerly opening his mouth, Shulk welcomed his lover's tongue with his own, his body relaxing at the, by now, familiar intimate feeling. 

Meanwhile, Reyn never stopped to let his lubed fingers stroke over his lover's entrance, rubbing and teasing. 

Taking courage, Shulk let his hand travel from Reyn's shoulder, down to his chest, where he carefully circled the most tender part with his forefinger. The sharp breath his lover took in made him hesitate, suddenly feeling insecure again.

"Don't stop," Reyn whispered hoarsely, as he broke their kiss.   
"But, you-"   
"Just took me by surprise. I'm kinda sensitive there," his lover explained, "in a good kind of way."  
"Oh," Shulk blinked.

Carefully, he nudged the sensitive bud, making his partner take in another sharp breath. Somehow he liked to induce these reactions from his lover. Eagerly, he pinched the nipple between his forefinger and thumb, careful not to apply too much pressure. The deep groan that left Reyn's throat went straight to Shulk's hard-on, jerking in excitement. 

A grin on Reyn's face was all the warning the blond got before he felt the tip of his lover's finger entering him. Holding his breath in surprise for a short moment, he soon realized that it didn't hurt at all. Exhaling, he nodded at his lover, reciprocating his smile encouragingly. 

Slowly, Reyn pushed his finger further and further inside, carefully curling it while his thumb massaged Shulk's perineum. Shulk's hips twitched on their own, his body craving more of this pleasurable feeling. 

Over time, needy whines tumbled from his lips. His breath sped up, getting impatient. Yet no matter what, he couldn't dissuade Reyn from his slow, but careful, pace. 

By the time the redhead was easily thrusting three fingers back and forth inside Shulk, the blond was already a sweaty panting mess. His neglected erection had already dripped some precum to his stomach. 

"Reyn," he whined in need, breaking their kiss, his lips slightly swollen.   
"Ya sure?" the redhead whispered.  
"Yeah, please," he almost begged, not missing how Reyn swallowed.  
"Okay," the redhead replied, sealing this promise with another quick kiss.

With hazy eyes, Shulk observed his lover leaning back as he carefully took his fingers out. The blond felt his hole clenching in need after the sudden loss, but Reyn was already ripping open the condom package.

The realization of what was about to happen settled in and Shulk was getting nervous again. After all, Reyn's manhood was a good deal larger than his fingers had been.

"Shh, I've gotcha," his lover whispered, soothingly stroking Shulk's knee. He had no idea how his lover had even noticed his nerves acting up, but he was grateful for the reassurance. He trusted Reyn.

The redhead pulled the thin rubber over his hard erection before covering it in a decent amount of lube. Wiping his hand on the sheets, Reyn aligned his member to Shulk's ring of muscles. 

Pulling up his legs, Shulk made room for his lover to position himself right. As he felt the tip nudging against his entrance, the blond flinched, reaching out for his lover again.

Struggling how to adjust his position for a moment, Reyn placed his left underarm next to Shulk's head, his right hand steadying his cock. Leaning down as far as possible without crushing his lover, their foreheads and noses touched.

"Ready?" Reyn whispered against his lips, their eyes locked.  
"Yeah," the blond aspirated with a small nod.

When Shulk felt the hard tip of his lover pressing against his entrance, he closed his eyes, holding his breath.   
"Shh, relax. Look at me, Shulk," his lover said encouragingly, his movements stilled until Shulk's breathing had normalized again. The blond nodded, shyly opening his eyes once more. 

Looking into Reyn's gray eyes, made him feel safe, anxiety dissipating. The way his lover observed his every reaction as he slowly pushed deeper, made Shulk's heart swell with love and happiness. 

When Reyn finally was inside completely, they both breathed out in relief before they suddenly giggled, drunken by emotions.  
"I love ya so much," the taller Homs whispered, placing a quick peck to Shulk's lips as he patiently waited for him to adjust to the intrusion.  
"Love you as well," the blond replied.

As Shulk carefully rolled his hips a bit, they both moaned, overwhelmed by this new intimate connection they shared. 

Leaning up on both arms now to gain a better hold, Reyn carefully moved his hips back before thrusting in again. The loud, deep moan that left Shulk, surprised them both. The redhead smirked as the blond pressed a hand against his lips in embarrassment. Yet when Reyn repeated this movement, another moan tumbled from Shulk's lips again. 

The blond felt his cheeks flaring up. He was feeling so full of his lover, yet it somehow wasn't enough. Needy for more, he began moving his hips, meeting his lover's thrusts. That action caused the taller Homs to moan, and Shulk cast away all reservations. Eager to elicit this delicious sound from his taller lover again, he continued to shake his hips. His hands were grabbing Reyn's shoulders and the back of his neck, desperately searching for some kind of hold as he felt his mind slipping away from reality. 

It was as if he was in another time and space where only he and Reyn existed. Vaguely he remembered his lover's earlier admission. Letting his hand travel to Reyn's chest, he pinched his nipple. 

The taller Homs groaned, arching his back, his cock rocking directly against Shulk's prostate. A high-pitched moan left the blond, his erection twitching in need of attention.

"Reyn," Shulk exhaled, his eyes blurry, overwhelmed by these feelings that were too much yet not enough at once.  
"I know, I know," the redhead replied. Taking a deep breath, Reyn leaned back upon his knees. At first, Shulk was disappointed that he couldn't reach his lover with his hands anymore, but as Reyn's strong hands grabbed his hips, literally lifting his lower body up from the bed, the blond moaned. He placed his legs on Reyn's shoulders and felt his lover reaching even deeper now, thanks to the different angle. As if to prove his raw strength, Reyn let his right hand travel over Shulk's body, only holding him up by his left.

When the blond _finally_ felt a hot hand wrap around his dripping erection, his body twitched in need, hips straining against Reyn's hold. Adjusting the rhythm of his hand to those of his thrusts, his lover kept massaging his cock, and Shulk tossed and turned his head, overwhelmed by these sensations. 

His hips held up by Reyn's firm grip, made him feel like he was flying. The way his lover perfectly hit his prostate with every thrust made him see stars. When the hand around his cock squeezed a tiny bit harder, just the way Shulk loved it, he was hit by an orgasm so hard that it took his breath away.

Moaning in pleasure, he felt his insides fluttering around his lover's hard cock. Reyn diligently stroked him through it before grabbing Shulk's hips with both hands again. Picking up the pace, the redhead chased his release. 

In awe, Shulk hazily watched his lover's blissed-out face. Cheeks red, lips slightly apart, Reyn's breathing sped up until he buried himself to the hilt inside Shulk's tight heat, coming with a deep, guttural moan.

For a few seconds, they didn't move, catching their breath. Then, as Reyn slowly slid out, placing Shulk's hips back on the bed, a small whine left the blond at the sudden loss.

"Yer alright?" his lover immediately asked, making Shulk smile.  
"Yeah," he answered, suddenly too tired to even open his eyes.  
"Yer not falling asleep on me, ain't ya?" Reyn inquired with a little snort.  
"Never," Shulk mumbled, blindly reaching out for his lover once more tonight. 

As always, Reyn was there at once, lying down next to him, embracing him with his strong arms.  
"We gotta clean up," the redhead reminded him while placing a quick kiss to Shulk's cheek. The blond only now realized the wet mess between his legs and on his stomach.  
"In a minute," he mumbled, cuddling closer to his lover, taking in his particular scent of orange with a hint of cinnamon.

When Shulk opened his eyes again, the sun was lighting up the room. 

With a yawn, he snuggled closer to the warm body next to him.

Almost drifting off again, he suddenly sat up straight as the realization hit him. He had fallen asleep after-  
Shulk felt his face burning up.

Stirred by his abrupt movement, Reyn was waking up next to him. 

Shulk's mind was racing. How could he just fall asleep on his lover like that? A quick look around told him that they were sleeping on the other bed of the room. Furthermore, he was feeling fresh and neat, so his lover must have cleaned them both while Shulk had been sleeping. Feeling like he had taken advantage of his lover, the blond bit his lip, angry at his inability to stay awake.

"Yer freakin' out again, ain't ya?" Reyn suddenly announced, his voice still rough with sleep.  
"Reyn! I'm sorry, I-" Shulk wanted to apologize, but he got interrupted at once.  
"Everything's alright, Shulk," his lover stated.  
"But I fell asleep when-"  
" _Everything_ is alright," the taller Homs repeated as he leaned up, placing a quick kiss to Shulk's cheek. "Yer body okay?"

"Huh? I," Shulk blinked in confusion before the blush on his cheeks deepened. There was an unfamiliar feeling in his abdomen, but it didn't hurt. "Yeah."  
"Good," Reyn responded with a smile before placing another kiss to Shulk's lips. "We probably have ta get up," the redhead sighed.  
"Yeah," the blond confirmed, taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. "Reyn?"  
"Yeah?" the taller one replied as he picked up his clothes from the floor.  
"Thank you. For everything," Shulk said with a fond smile.  
"My pleasure," his lover returned with a grin. 

Once they left their guest rooms, the others were already waiting for them. Shulk did his best to avoid meeting Dunban's eyes, an irrational fear telling him that the older Homs would be able to read his mind otherwise, knowing everything that had happened last night.

Outside of the palace, when they were ready to depart, Kallian presented them with a doppelganger of Melia who would take her place for a while so that the real princess could accompany them on their travels instead.

"That is one cool prince," Reyn admitted in awe, and Shulk didn't know if this sudden short twist in his stomach could be called jealousy.  
"If only someone had his sensitivity," Sharla exhaled.  
"Sensitivity? I'm sensitive!" Reyn replied indignantly. It took all of Shulk's self-composure to not die of embarrassment on the spot as he remembered his lover's moans from last night when he had pinched his _sensitive_ nipples.

Still avoiding Dunban's eyes, he felt his smirking gaze on him nonetheless. A cold shudder ran down his back.

"Leaving without me?" A familiar voice suddenly called out, saving Shulk from getting lost in his thoughts again.  
"Alvis! Do you want to come?" he asked eagerly and got even more excited when the seer agreed to accompany them.

Silently wondering why Reyn's facial expression had darkened, Shulk filed the thought away, intending to address it once they were alone again.

For now, he was looking forward to traveling to Valak Mountain with all of his companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna write at least two more fanfictions to continue this series!
> 
> However, right now I'm busy writing [this FFXV fanfiction [click here]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26440546/). It takes place before the game, so feel free to check it out even if you don't know FFXV! I'm really putting my heart and soul into this story, and like it so far ♥
> 
> Furthermore, real life will be busy until the end of the year :(
> 
> Therefore I can't promise if this series will continue this year or next.
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading! Feel free to drop a comment, reading your thoughts and impressions keeps me going ♥
> 
> I'm using Twitter on a daily basis, so if you're ever interested in any updates, you know where to look!  
> [Check out my Profile to find me on Tumblr or Twitter!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/profile)
> 
> [Or simply check out my other fanfictions!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaHoppia/works)


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